When I was seven, my parents gifted me a tin watercolor paint set complete with tiny little flower fairies printed on the cover. Little did they know that these small but beautiful illustrations would inspire my entire artistic career! As a child, I would spend hours attempting to recreate those little fairies and the better I got, the more it inspired me to take my passion seriously and further develop my skills. To this day, I love painting fairytale elements and whimsical characters. Even though I am able to attain realism with my watercolors, my passion for children’s illustration remains. Watercolor is one of my all time favorite mediums to work with. It has a mind of its own and brings the pages to life. It is fluid and fun, and I use it whenever I am illustrating. In 2024, I illustrated a children’s book called “Sophie Goes to Death Valley” by a local author in my hometown. While creating the characters, I strived for a style that was reminiscent of my favorite childhood books and hand-drawn cartoons. Rather than the ultra- smooth digital style we see saturating children’s media today, I prefer art that feels soft and gentle, like a beloved memory or a dream. Below is the cover page of the aforementioned book, and hopefully the first of many to come! (Book #2 is currently in the works). The other painting attached is one of my final projects for a college 2D Design course in which we had to paint the cover for an imaginary magazine. Inspired by the watercolor set from my childhood, I decided to let my imagination run free. in truth, nothing makes me happier than creating a world of my own through art. I intend to continue illustrating children’s books after I complete my bachelor’s degree at CalBaptist Riverside and would love to honor Mr. Johnston with this scholarship.

Over my years as an artist, I have learned that the experiences and commissions an artist accepts are only as good as the partnerships made along the way. Over the past five years or so, I have had the immense privilege of collaborating with local authors, business owners, and volunteers who each found a unique need for my art. When I was a young teen, word about my passion for acrylic and watercolor painting spread to my dad’s coworkers at the office and my sister’s clients at the salon. I started to receive commissions and spent hours perfecting my paintings for each individual. Often I would hand-draw photographs of their loved ones, paint a favorite car, dog, cat, even fish! As special and important as these experiences were, the real treasure was when I created long lasting friendships through partnerships and collaborations. In fall of 2023, I walked into my art classroom, a nervous first-time college student eager to learn the techniques. A friendly darky haired girl in a bright orange bandana greeted me first thing. We sat together and became fast friends. As fate would have it, her mother owned the local tea house and eventually offered to let me work there part time and sell my paintings in the gift shop. I have been working there ever since, sharing my creativity with Ridgecrest and using the money I make to put myself through community college. I have met so many kind, caring, and creative people through this job and am forever grateful for the opportunities it has given me. In 2024, I met a local author, Tammy Pounds. To my delight, she was in need of an illustrator for her next book about the uniquely beautiful world of Death Valley. I spent 6 months hand painting each page and bring her story to life. Tammy is now one of my beloved friends and I am currently working on illustrating her next book. It was through Tammy that I made connections to our local Historical Society and designed t-shirts that reflect the simple beauty of our small desert community. I have met so many unique and talented individuals in my community and I hope to make them proud by furthering my art education and sharing my passion for creating with the world around me. I hope to study abroad in Italy and gain a deeper appreciation for classical art. My goal is to become a full time illustrator and bring stories to life, for children and adults alike. I hope to continue making partnerships with other creative artists and writers, spreading joy and beauty to those around me.

As an artist and illustrator, I am passionate about fairytales. Ever since I was a little child, the stories of Cinderella, Thumbelina, and Rapunzel captured my heart. I spent hours pouring over the illustrations, trying my very best to recreate them with my own pencil and paper. My favorite mediums to work with are watercolor and acrylic paint. Today, I am proud to say that I have completed illustrating my first book written by a local author. It follows the sweet story of a dog named Sophie and her adventure through the magical land of Death Valley National Park. I am now working on the second book by the same author and hope to continue this partnership for many years to come. My dream is to illustrate a complete fairytale series and bring beloved classic characters to life in a new and exciting way. I believe one of the most important ways a child can learn is through art and folklore. As C.S. Lewis put it, “Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” Furthermore, as a person of faith, I believe that God’s truth, beauty and goodness shine brightest in stories of good triumphing over evil. A story doesn’t need to be historical in order to be true. In a world that is so obsessed with realism and scientific accuracy, I hope my art brings children joy, encourages imagination, and gives them courage to fight their own dragons.

Growing up in the Southern California desert, you hear things like “it’s so ugly here!’ or “I wish we had more green”. However, I find the desertscape of my backyard to be a powerful testimony to the splendor of the Creator. Nature inspires me to create and draw other’s attention to the unique beauty that I see when I look at different environments. The sunsets in my little valley town are unmatched anywhere else. Every evening, God paints the sky a different hue and Owen’s Peak is illuminated with reds, golds, and purples. Ever since I was a child, I loved the outdoors. My imagination was able to run wild as my siblings and I climbed the mulberry trees and befriended the ladybugs. I especially loved to draw and paint outdoors, and as a children’s book illustrator, I have had the opportunity to share that love of nature and desert in a book that shares the beauty of Death Valley. I hope to continue on this path and expand my artistic skills at CalBaptist University this fall and honor Terry Master’s legacy with my work. Each of the paintings below were done in plein air.

Over my years as an artist, God has shown me that one’s faith and one’s passion may go hand in hand. I was raised in a Christian home and blessed with a church and pastor that faithfully exposited the Word of God. This instilled in me a knowledge of the Bible, which was a major pillar of my education throughout my years as a homeschooled student. At a very young age, I struggled with intense anxiety. It would grip me at random and shake me to my core. At night I spent hours wide awake wondering if I would ever feel “normal”. But thank God he didn’t leave me in that state. Through the faithful care and conversations with my family, God helped me to realize the reason for my anxiety was actually due to a deep sense of guilt and fear. Fear of death. Fear of sickness. And most of all a fear of hell. What I didn’t understand was that my sin didn’t automatically disappear once I became a Christian, but by God’s grace, he sees me as righteous, and he removed my guilt because Christ has paid the price and covered my sin. Once I understood that the Holy Spirit dwells within me, and will never leave, I was able to cling to Christ as my rock and my solid ground, even when I was trembling with anxiety. By God’s grace he has continued to work on me and grown my love for Him, his word, for his church in ways I didn’t possess when I was a kid. This particular verse carried me through this intense period of anxiety in my life: “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7: God also blessed me with a love for art which helped me get through those difficult days. I would spend hours pouring over old fairytale books, drinking in every detail of the illustrations. I would try to recreate them using my own pencil and paper. My parents nurtured my creativity, encouraging me to invest as much time as I could in my hobbies. Every day I practiced and improved. As a young teen, I started to take art more seriously and took lessons from a tutor who taught me to refine my technique and achieve realistic sketches. I had planned to attend a CalState University to further my art education, but the Lord convicted my heart and I am overjoyed to say that I will be attending a Christian University this fall. With that comes certain financial challenges, hence the reason I am applying for this scholarship. To ponder the beauty of God- that is the true gift. Nothing is more beautiful than He (Philippians 4:8). And if I can share even a fraction of that beauty with others through a painting, sketch, or sculpture, then I am living out my purpose here on earth. I hope to share the beauty, joy, and peace he’s given me through art. I know that no matter what career path I take, whatever challenges I face, He will continue to strengthen me and grow me into a beautiful reflection of his love. The glory belongs to Him!

From a young age, I knew I wanted to be an artist. As a girl, nothing was more exciting than picking up a pencil and transforming a blank piece of paper into a work of art. As a 20 year old, creating still holds so much joy for me. My preferred mediums are acrylic, watercolor, and graphite on paper. Taking art classes at my community college has introduced me to even more mediums and I now enjoy pottery and woodworking as well! Although I have dabbled in digital art, for me nothing can compare to a physical medium. I love feeling the crinkle of the paper, the smell of the paint, and seeing the raw color come to life. Growing up homeschooled, I was given ample opportunity to let my creativity flourish. My parents encouraged me whenever I would draw and I would spend hours staring at picture books trying to recreate the art of fairytales and folklore. Reading was always encouraged in our house, which instilled in me a passion and a love for story telling. My sister and I would write books for each other and illustrate them, creating entire worlds that I still hold dear to my heart. The imaginative games that we played as little girls are still one of my main sources of inspiration today. When I was a young teen, I started to take my art more seriously and honed in on my technique. My tutor was strict, but she taught me so much and opened my eyes to what I was capable of as an artist. I am forever grateful to her. It was then that I realized there was nothing else I would rather do with my life. As a 20 year old I am proud to have already accomplished some of my dreams. In 2024 I illustrated my first official children’s book written by a local author in my hometown. I am currently illustrating my second children’s book written by the same author. In 2025 I designed several logos for businesses in town, including custom t-shirts for our local Historical Society. I also currently sell my original art and prints at a Tea Cottage, where I work part time as a waitress. Occasionally I teach paint night classes, sharing the joy of painting with my community. I am grateful to be surrounded by other extremely creative people at my job every day. In addition to finding inspiration from nature and stories, I am also inspired by a wide range of past artists. I love the whimsical darkness of Arthur Racham, the bright simplicity of Wayne Thiebaud, and the detailed gardens of William Morris. All of these artists play a crucial role in my creative journey. One day I hope to bring my own fairytales to life with my illustrations, inspiring children and adults alike. I want to spread my joy and creativity around the world and study in Italy to further my art education. In a world that so often focuses on the plain and the functional, I want my art to remind everyone of the intricate beauty that can be displayed with paper and ink. In a world of Modernism, I want to make magic. In a world of Minimalists, I want to paint mermaids. I thank God for the family that he has blessed me with, especially my siblings. They inspire me to create and make me laugh every day. I hope to reflect God’s love through the talents he has given me.