...autism I didn’t know about.

My autism is a part of who I am, but it does not define what I am capable of. For me, it has given me a different way of noticing, thinking, and experiencing the world, and that perspective has become an important part of how I approach art and teaching.

I wasn’t diagnosed as a child or into adulthood, so I grew up with a lot of confusion about myself and why I experienced the world differently. It wasn’t until adulthood, when I finally went to therapy, that I received my autism diagnosis. That’s when my life started in earnest.

I don’t see my autism as something separate from my creative practice. It has shaped the way I notice details, experience the world, and approach ideas, and those differences have become strengths in my art, my teaching, and my relationships. Thanks to the help I received, I love my life. So now I want to help others!

After a career in advertising that wasn’t exactly a good fit, in part because of my learning differences, I found a path toward teaching where I could help others tap into their own creativity and expression. I finally felt purpose.

My teaching is rooted in my journey. My classes create space for experimentation, self-expression, and play, inviting students to discover what is possible when they give themselves permission to feel, explore, and make something that is uniquely their own creative experiment.

Currently teaching:
Abstract art — Elmhurst Art Museum, and Oak Park Park District