My interest in visual art began in childhood through drawing, painting, photography, and craft. Growing up in Los Angeles, I was deeply influenced by Mexican folk art through my family—brightly colored pottery, handcrafted clothing, jewelry, and handmade objects that shaped my sense of color, symbolism, and texture.

As a teenager, I studied art and photography at Venice High School and later continued taking classes through independent art programs and community studios. While working for 17 years as a middle school counselor and educator in Oakland Public Schools, I remained active in the arts, studying ceramics, mosaic, painting, and mixed media during summers and weekends.

Ceramics became an important part of my artistic practice. I create sculptural and functional ceramic pieces using layered glazes, oxide washes, carving, and texture to produce surfaces that feel earthy, expressive, and tactile. My ceramic work is influenced by both folk art traditions and urban textures, often balancing raw and refined elements.

In 2012, I helped co-found the Adams Point Mosaic Project, collaborating with neighborhood volunteers to design and install mosaic-covered city trash containers throughout the Adams Point neighborhood of Oakland.

Today, I create small original paintings, hand-painted cards, and ceramic work in an expressive folk art style. My work often incorporates symbolic imagery such as hearts, trees of life, mandalas, and organic forms, using layered acrylic paint, pigment, glaze, and texture to create pieces that feel vibrant, raw, and personal.

All of my work is created by hand in small batches in my home studio in Adams Point and at North Berkeley Senior Center for ceramics. 

In addition to creating art, I continue to draw inspiration from Oakland’s creative community, local galleries, public art, and the handmade traditions that first inspired me as a child.