In Art School, I was taught your Artist Statement should be your fresh take on relevant work that you're displaying.  My website however, will be inevitably showcasing work that wouldn't be much without my story.

The work I produce takes on all forms. From a young age, I was exposed to many methods of art-making, and growing up I was very aware and interested in learning old traditional forms of art and new methods emerging.
I attended an arts-centered Elementary-Middle School, where I was exposed to theater, band, and digital media. I shared a split home between the art room and home economics, which was truly Costume Design. I attended District and State level Thespian competitions, ranking as high as "Super Superior" and as low as a humbling, "Good". The art world was my true fascination, and Costume was my stepping stone to push my art skills. Eventually my skills were needed for countless Set Design projects, and I spent so much time not only painting sets,  my class created large-scale murals. I was taught heavily by a Master Costume Designer, a Master Muralist, and a true Academic Artist.. all by the time I was turning 14.
Eventually, time brought High School in and I was eager. I was blessed with a nonchalant, flowing and mowing art department that had all I needed; a Reputation as an art school and the District Money that came with the Title. Turns out they still needed to charge student for supplies. But, as I worked my way up the ladder, I took home one little leap, and then a county-wide leap. My Junior year, I failed the AICE Marine Science Exam, but I dominated the county-wide "Leave The Scene Clean" Calendar Contest, winning the Cover of 2016. 
But it wasn't left at that. I had been part of the Digital Department, the Art Department, and dabbling with the Theater Kids once more for more Thespian Competitions, and I had always been internally ANGRY that my Arts High School didn't have an Art Gallery.
So I had heard about the Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant and wrote up a grant to create a gallery in my High School Cafeteria.  I had a hand of help both my Academic Artist and my Master Muralist in creating the grant, as well as hand lettering its signage. Months later, after I had written the grant but before I knew I received it, the head of the Art Department suggested we should go on a field trip, and I was on it. I organized a school trip to the Dali Museum in Tampa, and submitted paperwork to apply for busses, I  even was somehow given the absurd power of choosing which 18 students in a massive department should go out of a list given to me. It was such an amazing experience for all of us though, and it's one memory I hope sticks with everyone who was there. 
At the end of my Senior year, I painted, framed and hung (refer to the picture) student works. I made my choice with Florida School of the Arts, and my time spent in Palatka and Saint Augustine is a treasure I keep dear. 
Florida is my home, filled with beautiful sights I didn't discover until I left town. I was enrolled in the Studio Art Major, working my way onwards. On-campus housing wasn't an option for the most remote art school in Florida; so renting was the reality. And the real world set on quite quick at 18. 
I burned oil picking up techniques and skills in school, working at the movie theater in St. Augustine, and later, Michael's  Craft Stores, which came in quite handy. The work I created in this time became almost sacred to me, I discovered, for the first time in my art career, what I felt was my "style". 
Having moved back home for some time, going through family loss and other strife, I've been building my foundations; gaining tools and other skills. I work actively on my car, organizing my home and it's been a journey working on where I'm going next. Everything has been unfolding to me the more I work. 
With the right foundations built a little more each day, I know I will be back doing shows and making a goal I couldn't reach in the past- making sales. I've been told, "You can't make more art if you can't sell it." Eventually I plan on having much of the art shop in full physical stock, able to take to events and promote to sell.