What influences your work?
Probably hip-hop as a culture, not necessarily as a music genre. It honestly fuels my work. I hope

my work will fuel some of the artists who make hip-hop. I’m always listening to different styles of music while I’m doing my work.

What is the faculty like?
The faculty is active. They showed me their work from when they were my age; they showed me their work from when they were where I’d like to be; and they showed me what they were working on that day. I would see work they were doing and then see it published two weeks later. That brought the idea of a successful illustrator to my doorstep.

What is your most memorable experience at Ringling College?
Getting a President’s Award at the Best of Ringling student exhibition when I was a sophomore. It let me know that somebody saw something in my work that obviously I didn’t see. I think a lot of times the best artists don’t realize how creative and successful they are until they’re in the public eye. It blew me away.

How is your education helping you achieve your goals?
I feel like my education breaks down all my limitations. Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve gotten a decent portfolio together. I know how to articulate myself as an artist. Ringling has given me a different tool, outside of my personality, to go out into the artistic world.