I grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Growing up, I liked to draw. I loved color and playing with color. As I got older, I started exploring my creativity and ideas more. It’s how I learned about myself. I feel like that was how I found myself. Making a painting or a drawing was a place to gather my thoughts and a place where I could make sense of my emotions.
But my art wasn’t how I got to Nashville. I came to become a singer. At 19, I began taking classes at Belmont University’s commercial music program.
While working at Gaylord Opryland Hotel, I talked to an entertainment manager about a job performing.
He heard my music on my website and saw my paintings. He asked if I could do a painting at a dinner. I agreed and that led to another painting at another dinner and then to painting a birthday.
While pursuing music, I painted. I began putting words into my paintings and these turned into songs. I was venting in my paintings and venting in songs. It was my idea factory – these became song paintings. On my first album, I wrote songs and each song had a painting connected to it.
I kind of fell into live painting.
Three hours is usually how long it takes to do a live painting. I pick the nuances in a room and look at symbols and abstract things and kind of piece it together like a puzzle. I have a time limit and I just do it. I focus on the painting. I’m in my own world.
I kind of sat on the whole idea of doing live paintings. Then I just decided, “Why not? People are responding to this. It’s interesting and a challenge. It’s something I can do.”
I like giving back to people. It’s something that I’m adding to the world that is unique. I am using my brain and using my creativity, which is my strength.