I grew up in rural Maryland, where I spent much of my youth outdoors. Captivated by the dense vegetation and deep wooded valleys of the countryside, I specialized in landscape painting at The Carver Center, a magnet high school in Baltimore County. I continued my education at The Cooper Union, where I worked to further develop my technical skills using various media. Living in New York City inspired me to incorporate urban themes, references of old masters, pop culture and technology into my work.