I have been drawing since I was a young child, but didn't start painting until I entered high school. I began with acrylics, and will probably stick with them for a while because I enjoy the difficulty and speed that it takes to paint with such a media, but will soon be trying oils for the first time.

As an artist, I try to promote the arts to everyone who sees my work. Each of my paintings represents something that I have witnessed first-hand and want to share with the viewer. When someone gazes upon my work, they can see everything I have done in my life, and everything I care about.

The violin project was a very unique experience for me for a number of reasons. First, because of my increasing interest in classical music. I started appreciating classical music a few years back and have slowly been expanding my collection and currently have five days of classical music on my iPod. So, when I was asked to participate in String Fever I was very excited about the opportunity and quickly accepted the offer. Second, I had never drawn on such a smooth surface, and had to adjust my style of painting.

The goal was to focus on three areas in the arts– visual, musical and performing. I wanted to preserve as much of the violin as possible, but at the same time give include the dancer’s figure . The final piece came out better than I could have imagined. It appears as if it's a very modern piece composed of random colors, but upon closer inspection, the ballerina's shoes become visible, and the painting's true meaning is discovered.

I hope you enjoy my piece as much as I enjoyed creating it.