"I was feeling part of the scenery, so I walked right out of the machinery" The song, Solsbury Hill, by Peter Gabriel has great meaning to me both personally and creatively. A few years ago, I was in fact feeling a part of the 'machinery' - a part of an endless cycle of life without creative sparkle and drive. I found that many of my friends were not made by preferential circumstance, but rather, by convenience. I also felt that my job was no longer inspiring me, and I had lost the creative drive I once relished as a freelance creative. While I appreciated the ability to thrive in many other ways apart from my job, I realized I needed to be inspired again. During this creative drought, I discovered the music of Peter Gabriel. I fell in love with both him and his music. I went on a journey that spanned decades of his work, taking me back to when I was just five years old, watching the Sledgehammer music video on repeat while dancing on the couch! Something about that music video stuck with me all these years. I would often look back and remember the colorful kaleidoscope of that video, and Peter's 'funny' face. In some ways, the Sledgehammer song was one of the most important musical moments in my life, but when I rediscovered Peter's music a couple of decades later, the song lyrics that stuck with me the most were from Solsbury Hill. The lyrics evoke a liberating moment in time - a moment where you are prepared to change, or even let go of something, in order to gain something even better! I'm so glad I walked out of the machinery and found myself where I belong!

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment." Ralph Waldo Emerson had many inspiring words, but this quotation is something I live by. Without inspiration, we are nothing! We cannot grow, thrive, or even strive to accomplish greatness unless we are truly inspired. For me, that drive to be unique and inspiring impels me every day to be creative - either through photography, art, or daily living. Currently, I am pursuing the Web and Digital Media Design, and hoping to get into Photography in the near future and Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin. My creativity has been boosted by pursuing creative courses during the pandemic. Ironically, the pandemic has given me the unexpected experience of growth - both personally and creatively. While lock-downs were the norm in 2020 during COVID-19, I stepped into the world of adventure and hiking. I've challenged myself to hike the entire 1,200 mile Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. The unparalleled beauty on this trail has been a source of continued refreshment and inspiration. Each time I go out for a hike, I return with 100's of photos showcasing the ancient beauty of an area shaped by the last major Ice Age. I am currently developing a phone application that will help aspiring "Thousand Miler Wannabes" track their Ice Age Trail journeys. I'm looking forward to seeing this application through to completion and success! As primary caregiver for my grandmother, this scholarship will help me to continue in my creative aspirations, while caring for this wonderful woman. As her live-in helper, I am able to show appreciation for the years that she cared for my brother and I after our mother passed away.