My interest in art was nurtured by my amazing parents from a young age. When I was seven, my dad, an engineer, signed both of us up for an oil painting class. After that, we always had a well-stocked “art drawer” and little messes everywhere.

Skipping ahead to high school, I used the school computers with Adobe Illustrator to help with posters and T-shirts for dances and other events, but winning the yearbook cover design competition was the moment I really started to see myself as a real artist. I went on to study at Kendall College of Art and Design, where I really found my stride. Since graduating, I’ve worked full-time as a graphic designer in a handful of different roles and usually have a small freelance project going on the side.

Northern Michigan has always felt like home, so after getting married on beautiful Torch Lake in 2023, my husband, Casey, and I made the move to Traverse City from Grand Rapids. When we're not working, we’re often walking the neighborhood with our old black lab, tackling house projects, or enjoying a gyro at the U&I Lounge.