Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Went to art college after high school. Then, I moved to New York City for two years.
Married my long-time boyfriend (one of the best choices I've ever made). :-)
I moved to Florence, Italy to study for one year and remained for another two years.
Went back to college for my MFA in painting, at Boston University, in 2006.
Moved to Boston in 1987 and went back to college (at MassArt in 1993) for a BFA in graphic design.
Chose to put all of my effort and determination into working as a full-time artist. No regrets!
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
North Miami Senior High
North Miami Senior High
Career
Visual Artist
I make large-scale installations and paintings of various sizes.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Art
Environment & Nature
Being Creative
Day to Day
In the morning I exercise (I consider exercise part of my work), then I answer emails, apply for grants and exhibits, and work on any graphic design projects I may have pending. Around noon, I head to the studio. Once there, I work on current paintings and installations, prepare surfaces for new paintings, organize the studio, and do web research for ideas that are brewing. Sometimes I have a studio visit with a gallery and / or museum curator, a class of students, or a friend.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Make sure to have a back-up plan! Study something else that you enjoy that will allow you to find a job after college. Life is unpredictable; our plans change and we often don't have control over what happens. In artistic fields especially, very little is guaranteed, which means that artists need stable work that they can count on. That doesn't mean selling out / giving up, it means having a way to earn a living that affords us food, shelter, and time to make our work, without feeling desperate.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You'll never make a living as an artist."
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
First-Generation College Student
