As long as I can remember I have been making art. In elementary school it was drawing comics and making little sculptures out of clay that I would give to my friends. During high school I took every art class I could. I lasted a semester at an art college then decided it was just too expensive and went to my local community college and took as many art classes I could there. I decided I didn’t necessarily need to get a degree in art to be an artist, I just needed to keep making and keep practicing. Flash forward to now 25+ years later. Making and creating art is now even more important to me, it’s something I can rely on, a constant joy in my life and a way to process the world around me. Since moving to Portland in 2017 I have discovered and met so many amazing artists. This city has an endless supply of places to explore your creativity from weekly art meetups to workshops and classes, I feel very fortunate to be here. This show is a reminder to myself to be grateful for the people, places, and things in my life. Making things helps my brain dwell on something positive rather than focusing on the negative. I make art to feel good and I am very thankful for the chance to share my ideas and the things I make. I hope it brings a moment of levity to the folks that stop by to see this show.