At a young age I realized I belonged in the mountains. We would go on ski trips out west and I was always in awe of the jagged peaks coming up from lakes or lush green valleys. After getting a season pass to my local ski resort in Pennsylvania I realized It was an obsession that I learned in high school and now you can’t drag me out of them. Maybe it wasn’t the mountains in particular but just being outside calmed me and brought a sense of clarity.

The first time I descended on the small town of Telluride was in college.  We went and visited a multitude of ski resorts in Colorado to decide where we should take 500 drunk students that would invade a resort town for a week. At the time we were the largest ski and snowboard club in the midwest and our annual trip was always more partying less skiing. We stayed a night, ate breakfast at Baked in Telluride, hiked up to the base of the waterfall at the end of the valley, and took a tour of the mountain. Then piled in a van and drive the 6 + hours back to Denver to catch our flight. It was a blur. I only saw a glimpse of the town but at 20, knew it was incredible. And had to figure out how to make a living in a town just like this.

After college I moved to Northern Colorado and had the opportunity to hike and camp in the National Forest that surrounded Telluride. I picked up my first set of brushes and started plein air painting outside of Telluride and hiking in the wilderness with my husky in tow. We car camped on the pass with the wind rocking us to sleep and woke up day after day to explore more of the area. It was then I realized that I needed to move from Steamboat and find a place that could provide me with the opportunities to be creative and advance my carrier yet still have the close proximity to trails.

Within a few months I found a new job located in Park City, Utah and continued to explore the outdoors through painting the deserts and high mountains in Utah. The months turned into years now now I’m happily married with a kid in tow while we camp, hike, mountain bike and ski. I can’t believe I have ended up where I have and can’t be more thankful for all of the supporting friends and family along the way.