Something that I am the most driven by as an artist, is a desire to create work that invites people to reconnect with their natural instincts to explore, touch, and play. One of my core beliefs as an artist is that the desire to play is innate and beneficial. It is something that people of all ages should be encouraged to do. Adults are socially discouraged from engaging in playful behavior outside of strictly structured settings, and that harms us all. A lack of play makes life feel dull and predictable. By creating artwork for all ages, I want to help people re-find moments of joy, curiosity, and play! My long-term artistic goals are to create interactive public sculptures that are accessible to anyone and everyone. Work that doesn’t require a paid ticket, a background in art, or permission to engage. I want people to encounter my work in their everyday lives and feel invited to participate and reconnect with a sense of curiosity that often gets lost over time. All too often, art is seen as a pursuit or experience reserved for those with higher socioeconomic status, when it shouldn’t be. Art should be accessible to everyone, regardless of social status or income level, and I want to create work that reflects that.

To me, going to college has meant committing fully to my dreams and what feels like my destined purpose as a person. I am an artist, and I have always been drawn to creative pursuits. For a long time, I felt discouraged from pursuing a formal education in this path because of its perceived lack of financial worth or stability. However, I’ve come to realize that avoiding it would be a disservice to myself and to those around me. These educational systems exist for students like me, with decades of knowledge and structure designed to help artists grow, and I want to fully take advantage of that. I’m driven by a desire to create work that invites people to reconnect with their natural instincts to explore, touch, and play. One of my core beliefs as an artist is that the desire to play is innate, beneficial, and something humans of all ages should be encouraged to do. Adults are socially discouraged from engaging in playful behavior outside of strictly structured settings, and that harms us all. By creating artwork for all ages, I want to help people find moments of joy, curiosity, and play. My long-term goal is to create interactive public sculptures that are accessible to anyone and everyone. Work that doesn’t require a paid ticket, a background in art, or permission to engage. I want people to encounter my work in their everyday lives and feel invited to participate, to be curious, and to reconnect with a sense of wonder that often gets lost over time. That kind of work requires strong technical skills, material understanding, and the ability to execute complex, durable structures. Pursuing a BFA in Fine Arts and Sculpture is how I will gain those skills and become capable of fully realizing my vision. I am currently attending Pasadena City College as an older adult after not having the life stability to pursue higher education when I first graduated from high school. This time around, I have been working hard to maintain a GPA above 3.9 while working part-time. Returning to school as an older student has strengthened my sense of discipline and clarity. PCC has given me a strong foundation, but soon I will be ready to take the next step and challenge myself in a rigorous four-year program where I can refine my craft and expand my capabilities. With my limited income, scholarship support would play an essential role in making that possible.