Major: Illustration, ’22.

Artist Statement: “Alongside five siblings and a Siberian husky I was homeschooled and raised in a small town surrounded only by corn and a chemical dump that we still lovingly refer to as a lake. My life in the city, and studies at Columbia College Chicago began in the fall of 2018. I came here in pursuit of an education in illustration-and am now focusing specifically on illustration for children’s books and creative writing. I am passionate about hot drinks, Jesus, my family, art therapy, my chosen family, preferred names, children, mental health, and inclusion and representation of people with disabilities in the world of art. (Not necessarily in that order.) And while I’m sure it could go without stating, the things that I am passionate about never cease to motivate, inspire, and inform my work as both an artist and a writer.”