I grew up surrounded by chaos and instability, but even as a child I felt a pull toward a different path. I watched people around me break under the weight of addiction, poverty, and silence. I could have gone that way too, but instead I reached for something that felt safer, something that gave me space to breathe. I turned to art and writing.

Creating became my lifeline. With paint on my hands and words filling my notebooks, I began to process a world that rarely made sense. When my environment felt loud and unpredictable, I found stillness in brushstrokes. When I could not speak the truth out loud, I poured it onto the page. What started as survival slowly became something greater—a language of expression that carried both my grief and my hope.

After college, with my degree in hand, I set out to build a life on my own terms. It was not easy. I did not inherit stability, I had to create it from scratch. I started a business from the ground up, first with nothing but an idea and a willingness to work harder than the chaos I came from. Over the years, that work grew into something real. My design shop became a place where art could meet purpose, where words and images could connect with others in ways I never imagined.

My artwork is layered with my journey. Sometimes it shows up as large impressionistic brushstrokes, full of movement and texture. Other times it is small and simple, a sticker with a phrase that feels both raw and funny, because humor has always been another form of survival. My writing follows the same rhythm. I share memories, reflections, and the quiet lessons I have carried with me through healing. Both my words and my art are rooted in the belief that even in the hardest places, beauty can grow.

This blog is the space where those pieces come together. Here you will find my story, my art, and the reflections that tie them both to the life I am still building. I do not share for sympathy. I share because for too many years I was silent, convinced my voice had no place. What I have learned is that silence never protects us. Sharing our stories connects us, and it is in that connection that we begin to heal.

I believe cycles can be broken. I believe in creating beauty out of hardship. And I believe that creativity—whether through words, paint, or design—can change the way we see ourselves and the world around us. Thank you for being here. My story is only one among many, but if it helps you feel less alone in yours, then every word and every brushstroke has been worth it.