I've always been an artist at heart. For over 30 years, I served as an art educator for school aged students . During the pandemic, while continuing to teach and paint, I realized that something needed to change. I yearned to take more risks in my artwork and adapt my teaching methods to better fit the new limitations imposed on the world and education. My students required a medium that was mess-free, easy to prepare, accessible, and affordable. This led me to develop a curriculum centered around repurposed basket weaving. As my students explored this new medium, I began experimenting with yarn, creating both paintings and sculptures. As a teacher, my goal was to instill in my students the understanding that perfection isn't the key to creating inspiring art or leading a fulfilling life. I wanted them to see that mistakes and challenges are valuable lessons that expand our understanding of what's possible and reveal our true potential as artists and individuals. Since the pandemic began, I've been creating fiber art as a response to the pervasive fear and lack of hope I sensed in the world. My mission was to reintroduce hope, playfulness, and joy. Each of my pieces starts with a color scheme and a basic shape. From there, I impose only minimal restrictions on the direction it will take. The unknown is the most exciting part of my process. Problems arise and are solved, and each solution feels like an achievement, even when I create the challenges myself. My work is a blend of controlled and colorful chaos, where I both create and disrupt patterns. Painting with yarn allows me to embrace imperfection. It's the flaws that make the work interesting. Embracing imperfections in life empowers us and shapes our individuality. My work is meant to inspire creativity, thought, joy, and energy. It's colorful, energetic, joyful, playful, sometimes childlike, yet complex.