Tell us a little bit about you and your background.

My art journey started when I moved at the age of 16 to the US. Living in Mexico for the majority of my life, made me be able to experience different types of artistic styles from different cultures within my country. Now, with 10 years living in the New York, I had the opportunity to explore my artistic skills in a new level. I studied to get my BFA at Mercy College with a concentration in Digital Illustration and Graphic Design. I’ve always been inspired to explore and try new things within the art world. From the traditional techniques with watercolor, charcoal and acrylics to using digital software like Photoshop and Procreate, I have been polishing a variety of skills that also help me in my teaching career.

What attracted you to work at One River School?

It was mainly the fact that One River gets to teach a variety of different mediums as well as teaching different ages. From the Digital Art Shuffle to Cartooning and Manga, I’ve always wanted to know what it will be like to teach things that i enjoy creating to kids and teens who are also interested in practicing and learning those artistic skills.

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

It is honestly one of the best and most rewarding experiences I’ve had in a while. To be able to see the students enjoying the art projects we create. Being able to have them get out of their art ideas and seeing how different the art journey is for each kid is something I love watching. What are the art strengths and the thought process is also an everyday experience I like to share not only with students, but with other instructors as well.

What has been your favorite project to teach and why?

My Favorite project that right away comes to mind is the project “Reimagined Elements” in the Teen Manga Class, where students get to select an object and create a human character that has the looks/color/aesthetic of said object. Some used a rose, bonsai tree, mushroom etc, we definitely had a lot of fun working on that project!

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

Definitely participating and attending to the Student Art Shows every year. Seeing the hard work instructors and students put to the art displayed in the gallery is something that makes me happy to be a part of. Every student gets to proudly display what they created no just to their parents but to other as well is something I enjoy witnessing during the event.

What do you enjoy outside of One River?

I mainly enjoy reading, gaming and trying new hobbies. I also like creating my own art and share it in social media where I have grown a small following that like what i draw. Even though i love creating art, I have learned that is okay to put the pencil down and focus in other things to keep my mind from getting burn out with how much I draw.