Person painting an eye at a wooden desk with art supplies, plants, and a lamp.

Based in South Carolina and hailing from New York City, I come from a family of many skilled artisans, painters, and musicians originating from the vibrant eastern Hispaniola countryside.

Yet anyone who knew me in my childhood reasonably predicted I’d choose a divergent path—as my greatest interest in my early childhood were the maths and sciences. My fascination with solving math puzzles and reading about the wonders of outer space filled up so much of my free time over summer breaks.

Nevertheless, the paintings on the walls in the home I grew up in from uncles and cousins I’d never met would shape me in inevitable ways, as they always left me feeling curiously that I was missing something. I never could see myself doing STEM for the rest of my life; As I realized later, I was born to make pretty things with my hands. I was born to follow in the footsteps of many of those who came before me.

My dad was a Dominican folk musician whom I never in all my life had the chance to truly call papi; my mom raised me on her own. But my innocent curiosity about him led me to try music at first.

Vintage photo of a man playing an acoustic guitar outdoors, standing with one foot on a bench, wearing a white shirt and dark pants.
Close-up of a grand piano keyboard with sheet music on the music stand, showing the piano's strings and hammers.

I took violin lessons; I hammered away at a piano on and off for years with very little progress; I thought I might be a guitarist and singer like my dad, but my guitar was soon abandoned and my vocals never progressed beyond decent. I humbly accepted that I wasn’t cut out for music even though I will forever and always have a profound appreciation for it (truly, music makes my soul sing almost as much as painting does).

But the very first day I picked up a brush and set color to canvas I knew “This is what I’d been missing…” And it was sealed. Thirteen years later, I can confidently say I was born to paint, and paint I will.

Art studio setup with an easel displaying sketches of a seated figure and a hand. Nearby, a table holds various paintbrushes, tubes of paint, and a small bust sculpture.
Ornate decorative flourish border graphic on black background.
Artist painting eyes on paper at a desk with plants, art supplies, and a lamp with macrame decor on the wall.
Brown textured paper with a torn edge, featuring a dried flower and leaves taped to the top with pieces of decorative tape.

My vision, my mission

For me, art is not merely the pursuit of self-expression and enjoyment primarily, even if those are byproducts. My primary motivation is exploring something larger than “self”, exploring Beauty from a philosophical and theological perspective as I contemplate faith and God, Beauty embodied.

Pressed pink, orange, and white flowers arranged together on a black background.
Collage of three polaroids showing plants, an artist painting, and an ornate building interior, with dried flowers taped onto the images.

My goal with my own work is to cultivate a deeper appreciation for excellence, beauty, and craftsmanship as the Old Masters once strove for. Although I will never attain perfection, I know I stand on the shoulders of giants and seek to build upon the rich knowledge and traditions passed down, while also drawing from and incorporating various contemporary methods and styles.

I hope that my artwork, for the most part, will demonstrate a reflection of this.

Consider supporting me with a small donation!

Support like yours encourages and enables me as a small solo artist to keep creating as well as offer better value, services, and products in the near future! :)