I am from Chicago Illinois, the birthplace of house music, and arguably one of the most beautiful cities in America. Being from Chicago definitely plays a big role in the way I see art and life in general. The city life can be fast at times. Chaotic even. But one learns to find the calm and peace within the chaos. I implement this concept into my own art as well. Before coming to UAPB, I had attended a small university in Chicago for a year. This was at the peak of COVID so I didn’t really get any hands on learning/ experience to say the least. Coming to UAPB has done wonders for me in my evolution as an artist and a person. I have gotten opportunities to participate in community projects such as painting street murals in downtown Pine Bluff, helping with building braces that would go on to hold several large mosaics, and assisting with the installation of said mosaics in an art space. Being a part of UAPB’s art program and being able to study art in general has done a lot of positive things in my life. I have learned many new skills in painting, digital art, sculpture, and even ceramics. Through learning all of these skills I was able to find my strengths as an artist and my art style as a whole. My strengths are in painting and digital art but I tend to lean more towards painting. When I graduate from UAPB I'm not quite sure what I want to do yet as far as profession but I know I will definitely be continuing my practice as an independent artist until I find what is best for me.