Background

Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA

• BA in Architecture 1995

• Independent study at Barnstone Studios 1992-94

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

• Masters of Architecture candidate 1997-98

Brown University, Providence, RI

• Masters in Public Policy (MPP) 2012

A dedicated artist since I was able to walk, one of my biggest struggles as a child was maintaining a steady supply of paper to support my love of drawing. After high school, I attended Lehigh University to study architecture. I continued to study architecture in a masters program at the University of Pennsylvania. Both of these schools instilled in me an appreciation for the craft of making and the complexity of representation that plays a central role in architectural design. Interestingly, I never abandoned my love of fine art and Lehigh provided what turned out to be the most memorable aspect of my entire education: I was able to study under Myron Barnstone, first as a student and TA and later as an apprentice of his at the Barnstone Studios. It was here that I was first subjected to intense criticism after a lifetime of being told how great of an artist I was. Myron made me question everything I thought I knew and made me see the practice of drawing and seeing in an entirely new and highly rigorous way. For two years I was given classical training which forever changed my conceptions and understanding of systems of proportion, sketching, color theory, and figure drawing. It was a wonderful time of artistic exploration and discovery that I will forever cherish, the lessons of which stay with me to this day.

After college I worked in the architecture profession for over 10 years as a designer where I worked on a variety of different building types ranging from public schools and libraries to lifestyle centers. Like many architects, I had a fondness for cities and urbanism which led me to pursue a masters degree in public policy. At Brown I was able to engage with the issues and challenges of cities in a more scholarly, contemplative manner. My research focused on the importance of place, how places are made and offer different life opportunities depending on who lives there.

Throughout my life my passion and commitment to art has never wavered. During the Covid epidemic I was able to reconnect with art in a sustained way that had not been possible since college. It was a transformative experience for me. As a result, I chose to make art my career, to elevate my long-held passion and skill in art from an avocation to a vocation. I am so excited to be on this path and share my art with a broader population.