🌿 From Digital Dreams to City Walls: My First Mural
From notebook scribbles to the side of a building in Columbus, my first mural came to life. A digital collage turned public art, woven with vision, gratitude, and community.
Some dreams start as scribbles in a notebook. Mine began as a line on paper: “One day, I’ll create a massive collage on the side of a building.
Now, let me be clear: I am not a traditional painter. You won’t find me with brushes and oils, layering paint like the masters I deeply admire. My art speaks a different language; it’s a mix of digital collage, photography, and illustration. I weave images, textures, and symbols into something new. That’s always been my lane.
But deep down, I always carried this dream: what if one day, someone let me take that collage magic and blow it up big, audacious, unmissable on the side of a building?
Well… someone did. Some bold, brave soul said yes to my vision, and suddenly my “big-ass collage mural” (yep, that’s the technical term 😂) came to life. I wrote it down, I believed it could happen, and now it’s real. Thank God!
Standing in front of it, I felt this rush of gratitude and possibility. It reminded me that writing down your dreams and speaking them out loud is powerful. It makes me want to write even more of them down because if this could happen, what else is waiting for me?
And here’s the thing: dreams are never achieved alone.
🌸 First, thank you to David, without you, this wouldn’t have been possible (just like so many other beautiful things in my journey). I am endlessly grateful.
🌸 Thank you to the amazing crew at It’s a Wrap, who printed and installed my mural with such precision and care.
🌸 And thank you to every single person who stopped by while we worked, who smiled, shared their thoughts, or stood and took it in. Your energy also became part of this piece.
This mural isn’t just a wall…it’s a reminder:
✨ Dream big.
✨ Know what you want.
✨ Believe you deserve it.
Because you do.
Through the Lens: Shooting for the 50/50 Women’s Photography Exhibition
Two women, two visions, one lens. For the 50/50 Women’s Photography Exhibition at Doubting Thomas Gallery, I partnered with fellow artist Cynthia to capture each other in our most authentic spaces: her home, my nature. What unfolded was a collaboration rooted in trust, sisterhood, and artistry.
Some projects feel like assignments. Others feel kismet.
When I was invited to take part in the 50/50 Women’s Photography Exhibition at Doubting Thomas Gallery, I knew it was going to be more than just about portraits. The concept was brilliant: pair women photographers together, one over 50, one under 50, and let them collaborate. Not just a photoshoot, but a dialogue across generations, a merging of perspectives through the lens.
I was paired with Cynthia, which felt less like a surprise and more like a blessing. We already knew each other from moving through the Cleveland art scene exhibits, openings, and conversations that bloom in community spaces. There’s a comfort that comes with collaborating with someone you already trust, and I knew that comfort would translate into the work.
We met briefly at her home first, a short visit because I had a family commitment. But even in that limited time, I felt the essence of her space. Her home radiated a spirit that was so Cynthia. I told her immediately, “We need to shoot here. This is where you live, breathe, and create it’s authentically you.” And she agreed.
For my side of the shoot, Cynthia insisted on something just as authentic: nature. She knew how much I love the earth, how I see myself as an “earth queen,” and she wanted to place me in that element. She found the perfect places: Sulfur Springs, a hidden waterfall, and Henry Churchill Rock. Each location felt like stepping into a dreamscape. At the springs, I dipped into the water, feeling the current wrap around me, feeling completely in my element. Water has always been healing for me, and it became more than a backdrop; it was part of the portrait itself.
The results? Pure alchemy. Cynthia captured me in my truest element, and I captured her in hers. Two women, two spaces, two visions, and yet one shared story of authenticity, artistry, and womanhood.
The images turned out better than I could have imagined. There’s something magical about trusting another woman to see you as you are and reflect that through her lens. That’s what this exhibition is about, not just photographs, but dialogue, trust, and transformation.
✨ The 50/50 Women’s Photography Exhibition is still open at Doubting Thomas Gallery. Make sure to see it before it closes. These portraits aren’t just pictures; they’re conversations. 🌸
🌼 Once Upon a Time in Oaxaca
Oaxaca greeted me with marigolds, mezcal, and magic. On the first day of my journey during Día de los Muertos, we wandered through golden flower fields, sipping homemade mezcal from a local artisan, and standing in front of altars so beautiful they felt like prayers. This is a story about color, spirit, and blooming into a new version of myself—one sip, one step, one marigold at a time.
A small hand-crafted altar in Oaxaca, Mexico, featuring a serene statue of the Virgin Mary draped in a faded blue and white robe. She wears a crown of dried flowers, standing beside a smaller religious figurine and a bouquet of fresh marigolds placed in a glass jar. Colorful artificial flowers and a single orange rests at her feet. The background is painted a soft sky blue, framed by a gold, shell-shaped arch — a sacred blend of everyday offerings and quiet reverence during Día de los Muertos.
A story of color, memory, mezcal, and marigolds.
Last fall, I flew into a place I’d only seen in dreams — a city blooming with tradition, surrounded by mountains, and lit from within by spirit: Oaxaca, Mexico.
We were there for Día de los Muertos, and I’ve never felt more in tune with beauty, reverence, and creative energy.
A relaxed view from a bright blue hammock peaceful rural landscape in Oaxaca, Mexico, featuring a palm tree, power lines, and distant green mountains beneath a sky filled with soft clouds. The photo captures a moment of calm, stillness, and reflection in nature.
🏡 Where We Stayed: A House Between Worlds
We stayed just outside of downtown — a huge, airy home tucked between the city and the road that led to the textile district. From the porch, you could see the mountains watching in the distance, fields blooming with wildflowers, and the quiet hum of daily life.
In the mornings, I’d lay in a bright blue hammock, sipping something cool, letting the clouds roll across the Oaxacan sky. It was peace. It was present.
A vibrant outdoor altar in Oaxaca, Mexico, adorned with a large crucifix and surrounded by a cascade of bright orange marigolds and yellow sunflowers. The structure is framed with wooden lattice and a canopy woven with artificial sunflowers. Below the cross, offerings include ceramic skulls, gourds, and potted plants like agave, all arranged around a large clay vessel. The sunlight and shadows create a spiritual, dreamlike atmosphere filled with life, death, and devotion.
🌸 The City of Marigolds
Marigolds were everywhere. Not just in the markets or in vases — but in fields, lining roads, wrapped around altars, and bursting from the earth like flame-tipped blessings. Their scent followed us like a soft echo. They felt like whispers from the ancestors.
We even discovered a garden altar, bursting with orange and yellow blooms, a crucifix surrounded by skulls and offerings. It felt sacred. Alive.
Our first mezcal tasting in Oaxaca — poured into tiny ceramic cups gifted to us by a local textile shop owner. He told us to carry them everywhere so others could keep the drinks flowing. I’d never heard anything like it, but I was sold. Day drinking and handmade scarves? A dream. 🫶🏽🍶
🧵 Textiles, Mezcal, and Day Drinking Delight
Just up the road from our stay were a few small textile shops — quiet, humble storefronts filled with color and craft. We met a kind shop owner who offered us homemade mezcal while we shopped. I’d never had mezcal before, and whew… that baby was strong.
He handed us two painted mezcal cups and told us to carry them wherever we went, so others could pour us drinks throughout the day.
I’d never heard of anything like that. But listen — day drinking and shopping? I was sold.
An altar on the corner. A moment for reflection.
🍊 Little Altars, Big Energy
Even on quiet streets, you’d see mini altars tucked into walls, often with statues of the Virgin Mary, fresh marigolds, fruits, and candles. They felt like sacred interruptions in the everyday — invitations to slow down and remember.
A peaceful dirt path in the Oaxacan countryside runs alongside a field bursting with vibrant orange and yellow marigolds. The flowers stretch toward the horizon under a dramatic sky filled with soft clouds and radiant sunlight. This serene scene captures the natural abundance of Oaxaca during Día de los Muertos, where marigolds grow wild, symbolizing love, remembrance, and the connection between life and death.
🌿 Fields of Agave & Skies That Spoke
Outside the city, we drove past endless agave and mezcal plants, sharp and poetic against the open sky. It felt like the land itself had stories — quiet but powerful, rooted in ritual.
On one walk, we passed a field of wild golden flowers with the mountains stretching behind them. I stopped in my tracks. It felt like the Earth was blooming just for us.
🍴 Coca-Colas, Mole & the Magic of the Moment
There was a sweetness in the everyday moments, too — sitting in a local café with a glass bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola, watching the light shift. Eating enchiladas smothered in mole, topped with shredded lettuce and queso fresco. The kind of food that stays with you.
rust-toned corset top, brown fitted maxi skirt, gold-rimmed glasses, and a colorful patterned headscarf. She holds a yellow phone with a floral case and stands confidently in front of a mosaic-framed mirror adorned with bright yellow paper marigolds. The background features handwoven rugs and skeins of vibrant yarn in traditional Zapotec patterns, creating a visually rich and culturally immersive scene.
✨ This Trip Changed Me
Oaxaca showed me that art isn’t just something you hang on a wall — it’s something you live. It’s a cup of mezcal shared with a stranger. It’s a marigold placed on an altar. It’s a flower field that knows your name.
Once upon a time in Oaxaca, I said yes to wonder.
And I bloomed.
And that was just day one. 🌞✨