Tell us a little bit about you and your background.

I’m a Brazilian-American artist and educator and Mamaroneck native. While I took AP Art, at Mamaroneck High School, I also studied AP Biology, which shaped my curiosity about the wonderful world we live in and how things all connect—from visual design to the natural sciences. That led me to earn a BA in Urban Studies with a focus on anthropology. I draw inspiration from the natural world, science, and culture, and I think in nested scales—cosmic systems, Earth systems, and human systems—then translate those patterns into visual language. I spent six years at Apple leading creative workshops in digital storytelling, design, and customization. My studio practice focuses on infographics, oil pastel, charcoal, and digital pieces on Procreate. My teaching is rooted in making new tools approachable and accessible—connecting abstract ideas to lived experience and helping people build confidence through discovery. I believe we live in an incredible world and that learning is a lifelong process. I’m neurodivergent and have synesthesia, which shapes how I perceive and communicate. They inform both my artistic vision and my focus on improving systems so that people from diverse backgrounds can learn, create, and connect in ways that feel natural to them.

What attracted you to work at One River School?

The classes we facilitate here are like little stepping stones to shuffle across the river of life. The blend of creative freedom with a thoughtful, structured approach to art education. It’s a place that values and grounds technique and experimentation to contemporary practice, and it gives instructors real room to design experiences that meet students where they are. I’m motivated by connecting with people and helping them build confidence and bravery in their own practice, and the culture here supports that.

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

It’s fulfilling in many ways! Not only is it fun, but there is always something inspiring that happens. You get to meet artists with many different creative perspectives. Adults arrive with different goals and skill levels; some pursue art for commercial appeal, but many discover how making things goes hand and hand with well-being. Much of the work is unlocking blocks, building confidence, and guiding people toward a voice that feels genuinely theirs.

What has been your favorite project to teach to our adults and why?

Making Spaces and Fashion Self-Portraits. Making Spaces was a clay-based project that invited visual thinking through tactile exploration. It asked artists to translate spatial ideas into form, and the medium encouraged exploration in a way that was new to the class. The self portraits project had everyone draw themselves from memory, which invited fun conversations and results. Both projects balanced technique with reflection and produced distinctly personal outcomes.

Is there a special One River moment with your adult students that stands out for you?

In my Sunday morning class there is a recurring theme about claiming one’s creative voice amid the responses that often follow when you announce to someone you are an “artist.” We regularly unpack the pressure to justify art: “Is it “good”? Is it profitable?” and shift attention away from arbitrary convention to the value of personal fulfillment and intentionality. A special moment was the first time that subject came up with Melinda, Carol, and Lauren and the conversation that followed being one where everyone jumped in recognition of shared experiences.

What do you enjoy outside of One River?

Outside of One River, I spend a lot of time with friends and family. I have so many cousins and everyone has cute dogs! I love hosting dinners and cooking at home. I work in tech creating training content for a software company, but even when I’m not at One River or working from home I like to make charts and infographics! I also love sci-fi and fantasy film/tv. I just finished Foundation—justice for Demerzel! Also Avatar the Last Airbender is the best show of all time.