I am a self-taught artist who studied classical voice/piano at the Capital University Conservatory of Music in Columbus, OH with intentions of becoming a professional musician. I learned to draw by copying cartoons and imitating drawings made by my friends who were taking art lessons in school. Furthermore, I attribute a great deal of my accomplishments in both art and music to my family members who encouraged my artistic progress and provided valuable support and criticism. In 2004 I was diagnosed with a chronic illness that caused me to be severely disabled and housebound for almost two years. In my search for recovery from my illness and pursuit of a new direction in my life I became reacquainted with the desire to draw and paint. At first these were just things I could do to pass the time while lying in bed, but as I became stronger I began to focus more on my artwork as a serious vehicle for expression and emotional catharsis. Today, I am still struggling with illness in my daily life, but I am much stronger and more able to focus on my artwork professionally. My paintings incorporate images of people, places and things that hold a position of importance in my daily life using vibrant colors and a "slightly" less than realistic perspective. They represent a more simple, less encumbered version of the real world, not bogged down by the minutiae of daily living.