This is my journey

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been captivated by nature and creativity in all of its forms. As a kid, I was shy and introspective but fiercely protective of those who couldn’t defend themselves, whether human or animal. By an early age my parents could already tell I had a very passionate, caring spirit, and you could usually find me either immersed in drawing or exploring the outdoors. These early experiences laid the foundation for my deep love for the natural world, a connection that continues to influence nearly all of my work today.

Navigating life in the deep South as a young gay kid wasn’t easy, though I didn’t fully come to terms with my identity until well into high school and didn’t come out until later, like so many of us do. My grade school days were rooted in Dothan, Alabama, it’s been the peanut capital of the world since 1938 and twenty minutes from the State line. You could say I’m half-Floridian by default.

Middle school brought a move to Birmingham, AL, which was a particularly tough chapter. I faced relentless bullying that made those years feel isolating and especially harsh, but a move to Huntsville, AL right before I went into high school gave me a chance to reset, find a community where I could start to thrive and the space to grow into myself. In hindsight, I wouldn’t change a thing. Those experiences taught me resilience, self-awareness, and the importance of striving forward—especially when it’s hard.

By the time I turned 19, I made myself a promise: if I wasn’t doing something I loved by 25, I’d leave whatever path I was on and go find it. After seven years in retail, capped off by a stint in management, I kept that promise. I walked away to figure out what truly mattered to me and that decision has shaped everything I’ve built since. It’s been a journey of wondering, wandering, and stumbling, but every step, every fall, has brought me closer to who I’m meant to be, and what it is I want to create with my life.

After balancing a job and going to Cosmetology school, which was was it’s own full-time job with 60 hour work weeks, I was ready for this new beginning. Following my instructor's advice to help get a better grasp on the industry, I spent the first two years at a commission based salon. Then I spent a year rediscovering myself and being a “traveling” stylist; going to clients houses to do their hair, along with being a live artist at local shows and artist markets, to live painting at some massive music festivals, and all while being an avid traveler. Which in the end, helped keep from from being trapped in an echo chamber of my own design.

It’s been a decade since those days— ten years of being self-employed, of making the conscious effort every day to choose kindness, compassion, understanding, and to actively listen; both to my inner voice and to the people and world around me. My work is a reflection of my deep love for the interconnectedness of art, nature, personal expression, and the perseverance of humanity. It’s this belief in our shared human experience that inspires everything I create.

Now, I finally feel ready and compelled to expand my reach. To share my small corner of the universe with the wider world and to do what I can to make things just a little brighter. Be it through hairstyling, art, photography, or simply showing up, I’m here to inspire, create, and connect.