My work is a naturalistic inspired blend of comfort, care and confrontation. A collaborative bridge between gentle perspective touchstone check-ins linking the practical aesthetic processing and creative assessment. From single digit, lowercase ‘k’ beginnings, I have loved exploring. My way of exploring, escaping; losing myself in and then being found, was creativity by way of words. From almanacs, Bible stories, comic books and more, holding a book felt like holding space to be transported to another place. This was also something I often desired as where I lived I never could really consider home. Reading, researching and creating became home to me. I would begin on an inquiry journey; asking questions which would lead to more questions. I was conditioned early to not ask too many questions because they seemed to be “bothersome” and led those less equipped to be able to handle them. Though I may have lessened the questions outwardly, it didn’t prohibit them inwardly. And so, I would put on my “Inspector Gadget-esque/Encyclopedia Brown meets Rogue” mind and travel, finding whatever information I could and then creatively scaffold some type of narrative work: a play, short story or poem to accompany the research and feeling of that moment. I put a lot of that away for many years as I was told it could never work thus I couldn’t work or get work like this. But I see now, as I’m moving forward with the creative combing from childhood, this type of imaginative exploration; the bending of ruminative browsing brought the queries to life and was aided substantially by the artistic accompaniment of the narrative access and capabilities as a kid. This is foundational to me connecting passion with purpose; empowerment and healing from trauma as a public health concern linking research, narrative and theatrical education with other art mediums for awareness and wellness.