What is the best thing that I love about my work? I love being able to express myself, or express for others that don’t have a voice on a platform that can be seen nationally and internationally. I also love that I am afforded the gift of doing what I am truly passionate about for work.

What is my idea of perfect happiness? Mmmmm, living in a forest on the outskirts of Seattle with a no kill farm and as many animals as I can save, sipping on hot coco with multi-colored marshmallows on a ridiculously large porch while chatting with my loved ones, painting, and just generally being far away from civilization.

What is my greatest fear? Fear itself.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? Well, if I’m going to be honest with complete strangers, I’d rather not give you my most deplorable trait. I will however give you one of them, which is my exasperating need to seek vengeance against those who have wronged me or the ones I love. I know, “Let it go.”, “Be the better person.”, “You’re above all that.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. I’m a Scorpio. It’s in my nature. You’ve been warned. *cue villain theme music.

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire? This is a tough one because I admire most artist. It is such a hard career where you have to put countless hours into your craft and usually have a second job to pay the bills, you open yourself up to the public for some pretty gruesome critiques, and in my past experience you don’t always have the support from your loved ones. Anyone brave and diligent enough to be an artist, in my book, is someone to look up to.

What is my greatest extravagance? Oh, My, Goodness, FOOD! Give me good food and take my money. Also, probably paying for my friend’s food and drinks when I go out. I love food and I want everyone to have full bellies. If I go to a restaurant after an art sale please just take away my wallet.

On what occasion would I lie? I LOVE lying. I know, that sounds strange but probably not the lying you’re thinking of. A weird trait I picked up as a child and still actively do. I wanted to be an actress at some point when I was young so I would go to the grocery store and make up an entire fictional life to talk about if met with conversation. I don’t care for lying to people I’m close to, there’s no point and I’m ruthlessly honest at times, but meet me at a bar as a stranger and you might just be meeting, Izabella the Hungarian Palinka pusher.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Shipping. Oh lord I could write an entire novel about why shipping is the worst. On a scale from 1-10 I hate shipping 100,000,000. I won’t bore you with the details but it’s definitely the fly in the ointment.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Every opportunity I’ve received from selling my first painting, to painting a mural at Sasquatch music festival, has made me overwhelmingly happy. I’ve been flattered to be invited to my art collective Copycat Violence, honored to paint commissions for some really amazing people, and grateful to be asked to show at some amazing galleries. Honestly every moment of opportunity in my art career has put a smile on my face.

If I could, what would I change about myself? It’s hard to say because I do like the qualities I have shaped by my experiences but if I had to pick one thing to change it would probably be to never suffer from anxiety or panic disorder again. Anxiety sucks.

What is my greatest achievement in work? I really don’t feel like I’ll ever have this moment. It’s very hard to be satisfied when reaching for perfection. I feel that if I get comfortable with my art then I am not striving to be better and if I’m not striving to be better then I am comfortably numb. I have been honored to be a part of many great galleries, magazines, books, and shows, but as far as my own personal achievements I am always striving to be better.

Where would I most like to live? In a forest. Preferably in the PNW. But I am happy exploring different parts of the country for now and currently residing in Chicago, IL.

What is my most treasured possession? My Cats. I guess if I can consider them as possessions? If not, then a drawling from my best friend Seb who passed away October of 2016. I’ve moved so much that everything I own fits into a box. I guess I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to material possessions.

What is my most marked characteristic? I think that would be ever changing in perspective of who is asking so I asked my boyfriend what he thought and in a direct quote he said, “You’re very positive and quick to point out the positive in situations. You have an interesting “outside the box” perspective on things, and the ability to experience things with an almost childlike wonder.” He does call me Lightning Bug now. *Blushing emoji.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? Hanging out on my friend Norma’s stoop in Pilsen, visiting Logan Square with my friend Ange, Seeing the bean and water fountains in downtown can really take my breath away… But my most absolute inspirational location is more of a “happening” than a place, when it’s firefly season and the sun is setting. It’s warm enough to shed your winter clothes and the flies make the streets of Chicago glitter and twinkle at night.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya. I love ramen!!! Try the Tonkotsu, It’s my favorite.

What books influenced my life and how? So many Children’s books. Heckedy Peg, Imogene’s Antlers, Where the Wild Things Are, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. All these books and so many more played a great role in my life. The stories shaped my imagination to believe in impossibilities and the artwork was definitely a precursor to developing my own art with eccentric narratives.

Who are my favorite writers? David Small, Audrey Wood, Maurice Sendak, Erik D. Johnson, and Dr. Seuss.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Until the End of Time by DeVotchka

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Leeloo & Korben Dallas from The Fifth Element because duh, And Leslie Knope because “There’s nothing we can’t do if we work hard, never sleep, and shirk all other responsibilities in our lives.”

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? My mom, my two best friends Kait & Arl, my brother and sisters, and my boyfriend. The explanations would be too long but in short they are the greatest people that I know.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime? Million Dollar Hotel.

What role does art play in my life and work? Art is my life. A life without art would be a life without oxygen. Art makes me happy when I’m sad. It’s a crutch when I’m weak. It brings light to any darkness and quite when I’m overwhelmed. Art is fluid with who a am as a being so it doesn’t play a role, it is the role I was born to play.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My Boyfriend, Erik, is definitely my biggest fan, but also, Keryn, Lydia, Mark, Kait, Arl, Braden, Marjolein, Buddy, Craig, & Chris have always pushed me for greatness or have been positive people in my life. All the artist in my collective ‘Copycat Violence’ are just an amazing support system.

Whom would I like to work with in 2018? Hmm, Wolvesmouth, A burlesque show, anyone that wants a massive mural where I can use a giant scissor lift, a museum, and Guillermo Del Toro if he would have me.

Which people in my profession would I love to meet in 2018? Jenny Morgan, Linnea Strid, Dima Drjuchin, Jim Mckenzie, Camille Rose Garcia, So Youn Lee, I could go on but I’ll stop there.

What project, in 2018, am I looking forward to work on? A solo show inspired by my experiences when I was living in Seattle and also many events involving the awesome people at La Bodega Gallery, Hudson & Hughes, Threadless, Copycat Violence, & Buzzfeed.

Where can you see me or my work in 2018? All over the country and internet so scroll down to attached links to follow my work.

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? It means that what I am passionate about I will always be passionate about. Paint or die, if you will.

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story? Linnea Strid, Megan Buccere, Brynn Elizabeth

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