I knew I wanted to be an artist by the time I was ten.

I believe it started in kindergarten, when I was often left out of the “doll corner,” I found myself alone at the craft table instead. I sat there, gluing and drawing, and realized I "liked it."

The turning point was seeing a teenage friend’s framed oil painting displayed of a woman dancing with vibrant reds, oranges and long, flowy hair and dress. Born with a rare genetic skin condition that meant I had very short hair at the time, I was mesmerized by the ability to "create" that movement and beauty on canvas. I went home and tried to replicate it from memory dozens of times. I remember talking to that artist, and she suggested I take art classes. In that moment, a dream was born.

That path led me to Utah Valley State College on a full-tuition scholarship and later to BYU-Idaho for my BFA in Illustration. I signed my first book contract before graduation and soon moved back to Germany, where I grew up, to design toys and stationery. In 2012, I moved to New York City for an incredible eight years. During that time, I spoke on Capitol Hill as an art award recipient for RARE and directed volunteer teams to complete murals in NYC schools.

Today, I am the illustrator of three published children’s books and specialize in large-scale public art, including a recent mural for a pharmaceutical company in North Carolina. Now based in Utah, I’m always ready to travel for the next creative adventure.