Tell us a little bit about you and your background.

I grew up in Long Island alongside an artist as my neighbor and my father was a photographer for a bit as well. My mother has always been extremely crafty. They gave me a foundation to hone creativity and passion. Funny enough, my younger sister became an illustrator and we love to share knowledge. I also earned an AAS in Visual Art and Communications that gave me great knowledge in art history and digital art. Everything I have learned since then has been purely out of my own curiosity. I love to learn new mediums and techniques and play around with what really suits me. I’ve done package design and logos for small businesses and artists and I hope to expand my experience to other parts of the artistic industry. I hope to someday become a full time working artist. I know that as artists we are always learning, and I am glad for that.

What attracted you to work at One River School?

The art, environment, and the people. Every time I enter One River there is an unavoidable energy of creativity, positivity, and fun. I think that is really important for growing artists whether you are an employee or a student. It shapes how someone thinks.

How would you describe what it is like to teach here?

It is purely incredible to teach here. The lessons we teach are so developed and customizable to classes, camps and individual students. The experience of learning and teaching is very different than traditional school. I push to never let my students feel discouraged and always try to incorporate ideas they are excited about. It yields the best results for them and lets them see their full potential. 

What has been your favorite project to teach and why?

I would say “Beyond The Window Pane”. Pre-K students have such unique ideas and having them harness that through painting their own window and background is so amazing to be a part of. They learn texture, shapes, what belongs where, and even get to have some fun with colors and their imagination. I had a lot of fun doing the demo too! 

Is there a special One River moment that stands out for you?

It is less of one moment and more of a special moment that happens many times. Nothing is more special to me than getting excited about what you create, looking forward to working on it, and being proud to take it home and/or display it. There is a certain point where a student has that realization and I can’t help but be excited with them. My entire goal is to make my students feel that excitement and adrenaline of creating something truly spectacular.

What do you enjoy outside of One River?

Outside of One River I enjoy acrylic and watercolor painting, yoga, spending time with my pets, and baking! I dabble in video games as well.