When I started out 15 years ago my original goal was to be widely known, work with big brands, and support myself with no other jobs. And yes, I did go on to accomplish many "big" things. However, after the craziness of world events in the past few years, as well as becoming a mother, I have been reevaluating my definition of personal success. I have been putting less emphasis on social media/ my external image and more focus on rediscovering the original reasons I decided to become a professional artist. It feels like a "getting back to my roots" time and I have learned that being true to myself and following my own joyful inspirations are really the true measure of success.

Aesthetically, the "floral medleys" as I call them are always my favorite (whichever one is the newest, because I always try to do better). But significance-wise, I would say Diamond Head is an important piece to me. I was encouraged to paint it for a local gallery in 2011 and it was the first time I can recall incorporating a real-life landmark into my (new at that time) whimsical style. Although looking at it now I critique it a bit, I believe it paved the way for many future pieces. And on a personal note, my dad bought the original directly from the gallery (much to my embarrassment at the time) and proudly hung it in his apartment as one of my early professional customers. Now that he has passed on, I have inherited the original work and am so happy to have this "steppingstone" piece on display at the doorway of my current residence.

I naturally gravitated towards drawing and painting as a child and took some after school art classes in my teenage years to better my skills. I did a few commissions of people's pets and children, school murals, and considered majoring in art in college. I felt unclear and uncertain about my life's direction and put art in the background for several years until my mid-twenties. It was at that point that I moved in with my mom back in Hawaii for a bit and dove headfirst into pursuing a career that was meaningful to me while developing a more unique artistic style. I did a lot of artistic experimentation and a lot of reaching out and connecting to those in the local community (this was before anyone used social media for business!). Little by little I got some gigs, breaks, gallery representation and things just grew over the years from there

Yes, creating art changes the way I view the world around me. For example, once I study a landmark, scene, or specific plant long enough to draw or paint it (even just a quick sketch), I realize I had never really "seen it fully" until that moment. Art makes me slow down and see the details in a way I could never do, simply walking around and looking. And I’ll never see that place or thing the same way ever again!

I've always answered that question with "the natural beauty of Hawaii" such as tropical flowers, foliage, scenery and the ocean and undersea. Now I am refining that to say that the inspiration to paint comes from the feeling I have about such observations and interactions. For example: The joy of observing the intricate lines of a leaf pattern, the awe at the unbelievable vividness of a hibiscus, the reverence for a striking sunset, the delight of a surprise double rainbow, etc. The mood and energy of experiencing Hawaii at its best moments is what I want to "bottle up" and imbue in my paintings.

Although I admire many modern painters, I find myself repeatedly drawn to artwork and illustration from the early 1900's to 1930's. I love the stylized, whimsical linework of book illustrators such as Don Blanding, bold graphic colors of "Hawaii Art Deco" such as Frank McIntosh, and the subtle yet striking look of Japanese woodblock printmakers such as Hiroshi Yoshida.