“I’m still as excited to paint today as I was years ago if not more so. I just want to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as I can for as long as I can.”

“I learned that my students did not care how much I knew about art until they knew how much I cared about them. On my good days and my bad days, when I was exhausted and my nerves were frazzled, I made sure they knew that I cared.”

“It really is amazing to me when I just do something without a plan and something happy turns out so easily. It’s like you get into a different world and don’t even remember afterwards how exactly you did that.”

“Thea's programs are focused on creating the next generation of cultural consumers that will support a more diverse and sustainable arts landscape…”

“It is, of course, personally rewarding to work with people as they develop ideas, build skills, and find creative ways to communicate through art making. But I also believe that equitable access to art education is crucially important in building healthy and vibrant communities.”

“My imagination often takes me pretty far away from the original inspiration. I am particularly interested in the moments of change and transformation, right before we know what awaits us on the other side.”

“I am not in control of my method. I work toward perfection but welcome the imperfections that invariably occur. More often than not the imperfections are the making of an image.”

“I have always thought of watercolor as my first true love because of its spontaneity and free spirit. When I paint in watercolor, my mind gets in a state of flow much like a meditation. Watercolor painting is simply good for the soul.”

“Painting has given structure to my life. Imagining, planning, and executing complete a piece of art helps me understand my time in the world.”

“As a child I explored a lot outdoors, but I also read a lot. Both types of exploration have impacted the way I experience the natural world.”

“Museums are awesome spaces, or awe-full places. Walking up to objects that have witnessed history and are just itching to tell you their stories is an amazing experience.”

“When I work on new designs I’m often inspired by memories, nature, and dreams.”

“My early years of watching Saturday-morning cartoons and reading comic books and encyclopedias are a big influence on my work.”

“I’ve always been intrigued with the three-dimensional form. To me, the negative space that envelops a piece is as important as the piece itself, and that is the way I approach my work.”

“The art world needs authentic portraits of all backrounds and cultures. Art gave me the courage to share my culture and journey.”

“I have always enjoyed carefully observing and drawing from nature. I have found that small things are often the most interesting subjects.”

“I think everyone is talented and everyone is an artist. When you see a barista making a matcha latte, they have to have a sense that they're creating something beautiful, or else they wouldn't be able to function. They may not describe it that way, but it's my job, as an artist, to see the soul of things.”

“While music still remains an important part of my artistic life, painting has unlocked a tremendous amount of creative potential that continues to shape my experience as a human in the world.”

“Most of my work develops by letting my hands form something from the clay, and if I like how it looks, I embellish on it. If I don’t like it, I smush it down (technical term!) and start over.”