I originally went back to college full time in 2009 at the age of 30, in order to fulfill my life long goals of earning a college degree and becoming a working professional artist. I first moved briefly to Dover, NJ to study at the legendary Kubert School of Graphic Art from 2009 - 2010, in order to kick start my training as an illustrator. I completed a year at the Kubert School with a GPA of 3.8 before returning home and transferring to the Academy of Art, University in San Francisco, CA.

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I earned a Bachelors in Fine Art degree in Illustration from AAU, in December of 2014;  where I graduated cum laude as well as class valedictorian. Just below you can watch my speech in front of thousands of people at the Cow Palace Arena in San Francisco. Don't worry, I recover quickly after the first minute or so! Whew...

 

At AAU, I also made the "President's Honor List" six times, and had nine pieces total selected for both Spring Shows 2013 and 2014, winning second place "Best of Show" each year. I also had three pieces selected for the one and only Fall Illustration Show in 2012.

 

In my last week of attendance before graduating, the AAU school newspaper did a full page feature article on me and my accomplishments in professional freelance illustration while still attending school full time. The article can be read HERE.

 

Before my time at the Kubert School and AAU, I studied art and illustration at Folsom Lake College, Folsom, CA, from 2005-2006, under the tutelage of California artist, Aleris Hart. Directly out of high school, from 1997 - 2000, I studied biology and natural sciences at American River College in Sacramento, CA.