I am an illustrator and interactive media artist born in Providence, Rhode Island and am a graduate from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. I have created a series of 2D animations and have published three volumes of my original graphic novel, The Phoenix of the South. I work with the Warwick Center for the Arts and am a first-year graduate student at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. 

About the Artist

Lined paper and college ruled notebooks have always been my best friend, as they record all my ideas, messy sketches and random title names for self-published graphic novel. The primary theme that I share in my art is mental health, how people hide their true feelings in fear of being stigmatized and struggling to find peace with oneself (acceptance).

My work takes on many forms such as analog sketches to digital replication and marrying traditional and digital art to create a finished project. Fellow artist and mentor Whiteley Foster has taught me so much about the digital aspect of illustration including the skill of flatting for digital comics.

One of my ongoing works that highlights the importance of mental health and personal stability is my graphic novel, The Phoenix of the South, which portrays three main characters who seemingly have perfect lives, but deep down they hold trauma, secrets, and fear of who they may become if they let it all out. It also challenges the stereotype that “perfect” people have perfect lives. It also makes people more aware of how we treat strangers on the street. Another theme that I am developing in my novel is male sexuality. One of my characters struggles with his sexuality and how he feels the need to hide it after being raised in an abusive, homophobic home. In an animation I made based off this novel, the audience gets a glimpse in what he sees as a happy life but is quickly brought back to reality.