I grew up in Berea, KY, at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains.  I was the only child of loving, hard working parents who instilled in me a love of the outdoors and much more than I could ever begin to list here.  I was an artistic child from the beginning and won many awards for my talents over the years.  I was also greatly interested in animals and plants and the way the world works... something which is often reflected in my artwork.  I attended Berea College and entered as an Art major, and was doing exceedingly well in my classes- but I made the decision after about a year that I would major in Agriculture.  Art is my passion, and I knew that I didn't want to teach and I couldn't think of too many viable careers that I would really enjoy and not burn out on.  Berea College is a work school and I transferred from the weaving department, which I loved, to the college farms.  It was hard work, but a great experience and I feel that the combination of working and classwork really gave me an advantage.  I returned to the weaving department for my final semester at Berea, it was great closure to my college career. I graduated in 2004 with a degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources. 

For the next thirteen months after college, while searching for my "career,"  I worked at what was once a Berea landmark- Churchill Weavers.  Unfortunately it has since closed.  While there I was a flyshuttle weaver- I made everything from scarves to blankets.