Throughout my life, art has had a hold over me. Many family members were artists, including my mother. I was born in Morehead City, North Carolina, and raised in NC and California. While in Newport, NC, I was always around the gorgeous trees and minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. From a young age, I was acquainted with art, but my love for art grew while living in this rural, secluded town. What started as a pastime during class turned into drawing during lunch, then at home, and then constantly drawing whenever I got the chance. I did everything I possibly could to improve; I asked for advice, pushed myself to draw in different traditional mediums, and even tried digital art on my phone and computer. I made characters, drew them in little comics, and in April of 2020, created my first story. Since then, I have only gotten better at my writing and storytelling. In December of the same year, I got my first tablet. This is when my art really took off. I was able to create quicker, better, and I had so many more brushes to experiment with. Not only that, but I started to draw and post the stories I created online. I have been pursuing an art career for years, and I can say without a doubt that drawing is not my hobby, it is truly my passion in life. Art has always been a passion of mine, but once it became more than a hobby, I decided I wanted to pursue an art career. Continuing my education in art will get me connections, prepare me for the workforce, and improve the basics of my art. Going to college has already refined my art and has introduced me to many techniques I was unaware of. Learning is not my only reason for continuing my college experience. I am currently going to a very diverse and inclusive school, where I am exposed to different perspectives every day. Art school is a very unique adventure and I plan on using the experiences to inspire my future work. My main goal in art is to create comics that represent the unrepresented and show the unique perspectives of many characters in an entertaining and easily accessible medium. I want to spend my life creating, sharing my art with a wide audience, and being a part of a group that can make a difference in the world. I will strive and continue to grow my artistic skills so that I can follow my dreams and set a good example for the younger aspiring artists.

In Minecraft, I am a jack of all trades; One moment, I will be drenched in sweat, fighting a legion of zombies, skeletons, spiders, and even more skeletons, and next thing you know, I am picking flowers to put in front of my cottage-core den (formerly known as "the hole"). This game holds a place in my heart and forever will. It is the game I would always play with my brother, mother, or friends. I love every part of this game, but my favorite part is the simplest; the building and gathering. When I would play with a friend, we would go into creative and make that mode proud of us. We'd spend hours building random things, like pools made of lapis lazuli blocks or entire villages. When I would play alone, I would go out of my way to make rooms I wouldn't even need, rooms too big for anything so that I'd have room to decorate. I'd shovel pathways enclosed in fences to my neighboring properties, not for safety, but for the fun! It was the most enjoyable part of the game. Castles, battle arenas, houses with forever-changing themes- Anything and everything was my wheelhouse when it came to building. If I was ever in a bad mood or generally bored, I could jump on this game and let myself get sucked in; and I mean this literally, I would always be drawn out of my seat and on the floor to be just that much closer to this game. Minecraft, by far, will always hold a place in my heart.

Representation in media is one of the most prominent ways of sharing experiences, spreading awareness, and connecting people. I want to use my art to share, spread, and connect. Through my comics, I plan to include accurate depictions of mental illnesses and disorders, people part of the LGBTQ+ community, and a diverse range of characters from different backgrounds and cultures. My plan to make a positive impact is already on the move. I already have multiple stories planned out, and a few have already been drawn/posted online. I constantly research anything I include in my stories/characters and fact-check what I find to make sure I do not promote any harmful or incorrect stereotypes. As of the fall semester of 2023, I will be in college pursuing my dreams so that I can continue learning and improving my art. This will also open up more opportunities for me to get other art-related jobs that will also help me spread awareness for important issues. I want to use my opportunities, skills, and passion to effectively make a positive impact on the world with my art.

In the future, I see myself sharing my art and comics with the world, using them to spread a message of love between yourself and others, and spreading awareness to common issues often overlooked.

My art obsession started from humble beginnings... Tracing anime pictures... Trying to impress someone... Wanting more character development because, frankly, my character was relatively one-dimensional when I was ten. After realizing how challenging yet fun art is, it took off as my number one hobby. I started drawing every day-- once I finished my school work and while doing my school work in school-- I was unstoppable. Then, one day a few years later, I was stuck on what to draw and asked my mother, who once did hyper-realistic art, what I should draw. She told me to practice body positioning and to just put my characters into random scenes and poses. This one suggestion set my hobby ablaze. In the next four years, I continued to grow my art style and ability, and I branched out into writing stories and planning comics for fifty or more original characters. I started looking for anything art related, from comic books to animated TV series. Drawing every day, filling up to thirty sketchbooks, making comics, posting comics-- All of it. My entire life was surrounded by art, and I loved every moment. I currently have three different universes, over ten unique stories planned out, and the confidence to enter art contests and display my artwork around my school. I have also stepped out of my digital and pencil comfort zone to expand into watercolor, acrylic, color penciled, charcoal, and other traditional mediums. Here I am now, with about seven years' worth of art practice, art classes every year of my school life, 2 AP art classes in my latest high school, and looking into scholarships, art colleges, and jobs that can help me pursue my dream of using my hobby as my career, no matter how long it takes me. If it weren't for that suggestion from my mother, I wouldn't be as skilled or fast as I am at art as I am today. I would have never tried to branch out into different mediums. I wouldn't be where I am today without that one suggestion. You can probably guess that my mother is very much on board with me applying to art colleges/universities. Everyone in my family is very supportive and willing to help continue my educational journey, no matter what. The only concern about my plans is the money issues we may or may not face. My family has always been low-class or lower-medium-class, so money has always been an issue for us, which is why I'm extensively planning the next stage of my life, looking for ways to pay for tuition and help ease any concerns or stress in my family.