My paintings are about learning to express myself, something that has evolved over my entire life. For me, art is a practice of letting go—releasing expectations, perfectionism, and rigid ways of thinking and doing something. It is my permission to show up and create regardless of whether I hate it or love it, because my creativity is something to honor.

I love abstract art because I don’t get to decide what someone else sees in it. People have pointed out figures, landscapes, memories, and entire stories in my paintings that I never intended or even noticed myself. I love that. A piece can mean one thing to me while I’m making it and become something completely different to the person who eventually lives with it.

That openness also shapes the way I paint. I’m drawn to texture, layers, color, and especially the way a painting can change depending on the light or where you’re standing. I’m fascinated by movement and light, and I’m always listening to music when I paint. The movement in the room can dictate whether I use larger, more fluid brushstrokes, dump watercolor onto the canvas, or angrily throw paint and ink across the surface. I want to open myself up to the flow of the material and see what happens when I stop trying to control everything.

I also love a tinge of an unfinished look. We are so surrounded by perfectly curated images and polished execution, and my eyes are sick and tired of it. Imperfection is beauty. It is where warmth and authenticity are, and it makes me feel alive. Art gives me a place to experiment, get lost, work through things, and continue discovering what my work can become.