My interest in art began when…
I was a toddler, really. I can’t remember it not being a part of my life, but it became a true passion when I was sixteen.

My art influences…
So many… Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, John Singer Sargent, Mark Rothko, Edgar Degas… I’m heavily influenced by music, as I depend on it to begin every painting, so Beethoven, Philip Glass and John Barry are a few of my favorite composers who continue to inspire. And a few Dr. Dre tunes are shuffled in there, as well.

And very first art obsession…
I absolutely adored Baryshnikov’s The Nutcracker when I was five, and drew Gelsey Kirkland’s Clara over and over. I still have one version framed in my home.

Artist who changed the way I see the world…
WHAT a wonderful question! In general, I think Monet was a powerful introduction at an early age. The paintings always made such sense, even up close, and spoke to the future abstract expressionist in me. Impressionism was captivating. More specifically, I went to the Tate exhibition of Sargent’s work when I was 17, and have never been the same. Books do not do those masterpieces a bit of justice. The intimacy of the portraits, the brushstrokes, color and light… his paintings just glow.

The art scene in Charleston is…
Understated, ever-evolving and nurturing of its talent! I’ve lived in Charleston for nearly 13 years, and what I considered to be a more conservative market in 2003 has turned into a much more progressive arena for emerging and established artists, alike. Plus, we have the Spoleto Festival, with its array of internationally acclaimed performances and endless inspiration.