I like to make portraits that reveal the inner thoughts and outer features of an individual. I draw with permanent ink, and I have to work fast. I look for the part of a person that is not easily seen. Self-portraits are more challenging because it's hard to really see myself. There is a lot of process involved in printmaking. My self-portraits are four layer stencils. Each layer represents an emotional layer. Bright neon colors say who I am. It is a powerful feeling to create a work of art that someone might be interested in. Is it compelling, is it beautiful? I make art because I enjoy the process immensely, and I want to create something strong that has an impact. I was born into an artistic family. My father teaches art and my mother is an artist. When I was young, I was taken to museums; often I would bring my sketchbook and draw whatever I fancied, even a lamp or chair. MoMA's In the Making printmaking class has inspired me. I learned so many new techniques, how to carve a lino block, to bleed the ink from a Xerox and transfer it to a sheet of paper, to cut intricate stencils for layer prints. We also used photography and ink drawings. The numerous trips and gallery visits were thrilling. So often, classes focus only on in-class learning, but we learned from a wide variety of sources--libraries, galleries, studios, even the streets we live in. The educators were helpful and knowledgeable. This class encouraged me to experiment. By taking this more experimental approach, I'm not afraid to bring a piece past the point where most artists would stop, to a more complex point. I made my own studio at home so I could work longer. I hung my work all around to create my own world. As my ideas got bigger, the studio got bigger. Now I work in many mediums and draw constantly. Sometimes I get so involved drawing on a train that I almost miss my stop. I love to make art and I love being able to say the most beautiful words in the world, “I am an artist.”