My father was a tailor so I grew up working and playing around his tailor shop in the back shop learning how to sew at early age. Both my parents taught me that arts and crafts whether sewing, embroidery, or cooking were always important things to carry down as part of my heritage. I was passionate about fashion and design at an early age. I also grew up watching Bob Ross on PBS and was always drawing and painting as a child. I belonged to a dance academy doing folkloric dance and I watched visiting artists come in from Mexico and was quickly inspired by their chalk art murals. Since I originally wanted to be a fashion designer I started sewing and designing my own clothes in junior high. Although I didn’t pursue it after high school, I still own sewing machines and like to make costumes, pillows, or curtains as a pastime. I was on independent study throughout my high school years and started delving into painting and clay sculpture as well but again I didn’t take formal lessons, instead I got a degree in Medical Administration, then later a Bachelors in Business Management.

 

I continued to love art and design and didn’t practice it for years until 2011 when I started to do metal clay jewelry and beading. It was the gateway into silversmithing which I quickly started after some research, books, and YouTube videos I was pretty much self-taught. Soon I started selling and creating custom jewelry for clients working with sterling silver and natural gemstones. I did some online learning with a well-known Navajo Silversmith to learn the customs and techniques of several generations of Navajo family metalsmiths. I also started online classes for watercolor painting and botanical drawing to keep learning new things and develop my skills. I worked in the very competitive corporate world of pharmaceutical sales industry for over 10 years and left the industry after many layoffs 2018. In 2019, I decided to go back to school and study Graphic Design to pursue a new career after realizing design has always been at the root of my passions. My goal is to immerse myself into my studies and learn the most I can about design and art to further my skills. My plan is to ultimately start long term career in Graphic Design.