"Auriel" Painting

I was born in Camden, NJ but moved to Florida when I was 11. Started drawing as a teenager as a hobby and was fascinated with anything that allowed me to express myself. When I started high school, I got into the magnet program that allowed me to explore the arts. I was in video yearbook, morning announcements, newspaper, and drama club. Being a shy kid, these clubs allowed me to really soar into the person I am today. Now as a 37-year old I’ve hit my stride with expressive paintings. I really feel at home when I begin a piece but most importantly, I wanted my work to have a purpose. Strong female role models have been an ongoing theme in most of my pieces. I want to create a space that is safe to talk about sensitive subjects such as mental health, women in the workplace, domestic violence, and substance abuse. This is why I created the series “Beauty in the Face of Adversity.” I wanted people to know that it’s okay to open up in a deep way about these issues and to face these challenges together in a safe, creative space. Each one of my pieces has a story, an intention to align with the divinity in all of us. Each piece sparks a powerful journey into the soul and mind, a fabrication of one’s free will.