What’s the earliest piece of art you remember making?

The first piece I remember is a tree in a field, surrounded by cows, that I had to turn around and photograph on a drive home. For years, I thought it was just a photo, but looking back, that tree was the spark that opened my eyes to the magic in everyday moments and ignited my creative journey. 

What story are you trying to tell through your art?

I don’t believe my work tells a single story — because life itself doesn’t move in a straight line. Instead, my work is about presence. In a world where we spend so much of our time looking down, scrolling, and rushing past one another, I try to create images that invite people to pause.

The story I’m telling is a simple one: life is magic. That magic lives in ordinary moments we often overlook when we’re not fully present. Photography gives me peace because it slows me down and asks me to truly see. If my work can offer that same sense of stillness — even briefly — then it has done what it was meant to do: to remind someone to stop, look up, and be part of the moment they’re living.

Which artists — past or present — most inspire you?

Although much of the work I’ve exhibited is rich in color, I find myself deeply inspired by street photographers who work primarily in black and white. One of the most influential for me is Ernest Cole. His ability to capture everyday life during apartheid — and later in America — was both courageous and profoundly human. His images speak quietly, yet carry enormous emotional and historical weight.

Another photographer who inspires me is Tatsuo Suzuki. He often describes his images as the result of “luck,” never fully planned or intended. I strongly relate to this philosophy. Many times, I begin with only a loose idea of what I want to capture, but it’s not until I’m fully present in the moment that the image reveals itself. There’s an instinctual feeling — a knowing — when that moment becomes the shot.

Outside of photography, I’m inspired by Mel Fiorentino. While Mel is internationally known, I feel she has quite literally painted the city of Ocala. Her work has transformed public spaces locally while also resonating on a global scale, reshaping how art is experienced and reminding us of the power art holds when it lives among the people.