~ Artist Statement ~

Growing up as a kid, I was often shy and to myself. Kids would approach me on the playground to play tag or hide and seek, and I would run behind my babysitter and hide. If you found yourself in the same class as me, it would be a miracle to see me willingly raise my hand or volunteer to answer a question. But when a classmate would approach me, look me up and down funny and say something along the lines of “You’re weird.”, that was never something that I shied away from. “Yeah...well, I guess I am weird.” I would reply. “I’m weird!” I’d exclaim to people. Little did I know that it was a start of creating something even bigger than myself. Aside from the potty humor and my farfetched aspirations to become a superhero when I grow up, growing up in New York City has taught me to embrace my weirdness, and honor the value of individuality. The arts gave me easy access to this expression of myself. I never favored one over the other, because I loved them all in their own ways. I often used theatre, music, dance, and art to channel my energy into creating something worthwhile. The arts give me the opportunity to freely share that joy and that variety with other people.

I knew for a fact that, when I grow up, I wouldn’t want to be stuck at a typical 9-5 job, sitting behind a desk day in and day out. I wanted to karate chop a wooden board in half, or go skydiving, or paint a masterpiece; there’s a multitude of experiences out there that a lot of us, including myself, have yet to experience. As time inevitably passes, I’d like to honor the present through my work. I’d like to be able to unite this diversity of experience and cultivate a positive space for imagination and innovation.