While I have enjoyed art since the time of entering coloring contests as a kid, my serious interest in painting, drawing, and photography began to develop in highschool.  Our family move to Brasilia, Brazil was like a dream-come-true for a clueless highschool junior interested in the arts, cultures, and diversity.  The many available opportunities in this environment and my growing love and respect for the country pursuaded me to stay for another year after graduating highschool to take advantage of everything it had to offer.  I stayed involved with the American School of Brasilia by teaching art lessons to first graders.  For personal growth and interest, I took watercolor lessons from the renowned Brasilia-based artist, Therese VonBehr.  I have to say however, my favorite aspect of that extra year was the available time to travel and see the marvelous cultural, natural, and historical aspects of Brazilian culture and try my best to capture them through my photographs.  My two and a half years in Brazil culminated in an exhibit of my work, through which I hoped people could find enjoyment by seeing Brazil through my eyes.  I wanted to share with people the experiences I had taken with me. Now, once again I am back to being a student - at Hollins University - where I am majoring in Studio Art with a minor in Anthropology.  What the future holds, or where I will be in three years, I am really not sure.  However I will continue to enjoy the journey there, and in the end I'll just be sure to have ended up doing something I love.