The Arts were a solid foundation of my cultural upbringing and influence. Like many artists, I began learning this artistic language as a child. I would draw, make sculptures with Play-Doh, and color incessantly with my crayons. One of my earliest memories is of coloring with my mother who taught me not to scribble, but to take my time, make even strokes and find the rhythm with my crayon; my first exercise in patient diligence. At the age of twelve I learned to draw what I see. Transforming a colorful subject into black and white, I explored the use of light and shadow in pencil studies. By the time I reached high school, my talent had impressed my teachers, and when asked what I wanted to be when I ‘grew up,’ it was the most natural thing in the world to answer “I'll be an artist.”