06/03/2026
Fun fact about me 💛: I attended NSCAD from 2012 to 2016 and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Looking back, going to art university is something I have mixed feelings about. NSCAD was a great experience in many ways, but if I’m being honest, I felt a lot of pressure to go because I was “the art kid.” Everyone told me that since I was good at art, it was the obvious path to take.
After graduation, I worked for Paint Nite for a bit and then spent 7 years in the restaurant industry. During that time, I would create art on and off, but it became exhausting constantly being asked if my work was in galleries or what exhibitions I was applying for. The truth is, I had absolutely no motivation to pursue that side of the art world. Creating the work was one thing, but organizing exhibitions, writing proposals, applying to galleries, networking—it all felt overwhelming and honestly just wasn’t what I wanted.
What I did enjoy was working with people. The restaurant industry gave me so many great experiences. I loved making people laugh, creating memorable moments, and seeing someone leave with a smile on their face. In many ways, that fulfilled me more than chasing gallery shows ever did.
Eventually, I put my paintbrush down almost completely when I was trying to get pregnant with my son, Sullivan. That journey took two years and included one heartbreaking loss along the way. During that time, stepping away from oil painting felt like the right choice. Even with gloves, the chemicals and fumes weren’t something I wanted to be around.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about those years and the work I used to create. Maybe sharing some of my older paintings is my way of reconnecting with that part of myself. Maybe it’s the little push I need to start painting again in the evenings instead of endlessly doom-scrolling.
Art has always been a part of who I am, even during the years when I wasn’t creating. Maybe it’s time to make space for it again. I miss it.
