My parents, both creatively inclined, set the stage for my artistic journey. My father, was a professor of creative writing and an avid photography enthusiast, and my mother, a versatile force in illustration, painting, product design, interiors, ceramics, color consulting, and gardening, created a dynamic environment. This backdrop, coupled with lessons like getting paid for my artistic endeavors at the age of 6, ingrained in me the value of art.

In the basement workshop, I tinkered with projects, once creating a light fixture with a thermostat’s mercury switch, by changing the light’s position it turned on or off. My father taught me photography from the camera to the darkroom to more expansive concepts about capturing light. Photography, a skill I carry with me to document my travels, my work as well as the creative process.

Freelancing for my siblings, who excelled in fashion design, print design, toy design, and furniture design, enriched my teenage years. We were and still are a tight-knit family of creators communicating in the language of ideas and inspiration.

Earning enough through freelancing, I spent a transformative year backpacking in Europe, keeping extensive journals of my travels. Settling in Paris for the last three months, I attended a college abroad program to study art history.

With a better focus on life, I earned my BFA in Industrial Design from CCA in San Francisco. A year of glassblowing and metal arts, coupled with studies in industrial design, refined my skills.

Joining the Peace Corps in my mid-20s, I served in Tunisia, North Africa, where I built and lived in that house as an example to revitalize vernacular architecture. This experience blended historical concepts such as barrel vaults and breezeways with modern elements like skylights and eco-friendly design.