Question 1: When did you start drawing? And what do you love about drawing?

“I started drawing when I pooped out of my mama 🙂 Jokes aside, I have been drawing for a long time. It was an innate ability that I always felt like calling me to it. I was never complete unless I was drawing. I love that art takes me to a place far away from Earth’s troubles. Like when I’m sad and need a place to escape I’d draw. When I was happy and felt like creating something happy I’d draw. I just feel so free when I am creating!”

Question 2: Where did you grow up? And what was your childhood like?

“I grew up in a small town Mechanicsburg, PA. It was nice to grow up there but the mindset was very small about this kind of thing. Only when I moved to Miami did I take my art super seriously. I found that being around creatives much like myself helped me on my path and journey with art.”

Question 3: Where do you find inspiration in your art? And how long does it take you to make each piece?

“Each art piece is different and takes a different amount of time. It’s funny I get asked this a lot. Sometimes I’ll take a couple of hours and sometimes days. It depends, to be honest. I find inspiration in many places such as music, experiences, places, people, literally anything. For example, I’ll look at a banana and say “Oh, that would be nice if I created something that resembles a banana, or how about an anime character inspired by a banana? Or maybe she could have a banana dog, or what if she rode in a banana boat and fought crime with her banana sword? So many ideas rush into my brain and I can’t control them!”

Question 4: How do you develop your art skills? And how is it showing in your art?

“Developing your art skills varies from person to person. I’d say follow a couple of artists that inspire you to learn more about how they draw, you can also view many tutorials on YouTube! Daily sketches help with muscle memory too! So practice hard.”

Question 5: What was it like getting a call that you would make DC Comics? And how blessed do you feel knowing that you got this wonderful opportunity?

“Working with DC Comics has been an absolute dream. The story was fascinating, I had already been doing art full-time for a while, and a friend of mine (connections are important) who already worked for DC got me the audition. He told me, “You might not even get the callback but at least try”, so then I presented my 10 best pieces. I got the call back later and freaked out because they wanted to work with me! Of course, this was such a blessing. So many people told me I couldn’t do it because I was an anime artist or that I’d drawn some more saucy work in the past. Everyone wants a reason to point fingers but hold tight to your beliefs and keep going.”

Question 6: To you do you think art is important in today’s society? And if so why 

“We Need Art. Art is part of innovation, tech, and science, they are all closely intertwined. I mean, you can even say “One’s DNA is a work of art”. Without art, the premise of new ideas, and innovation, stays stagnant. Art also saved my life when I was depressed years ago. I think art is an amazing way to combat the decline of mental health in the last few years as well. I mean there is even a thing such as “art therapy.” Some people do think this way but art is the foundation of innovation.”

Question 7: What advice would you give kids who want to start making art?

“When it comes to art, I would tell kids to follow their path and believe in their style. There have been many times when my teachers put me down for my “anime” style. I was mocked and ridiculed, and some of them would shame me. I would tell kids not to listen to the noise of others and create because of the joy of creating. Create what you feel know that as long as you enjoy it, others will as well.”