The 411

What is it that fuels you? For me, it’s creativity. I love writing about my daily life and what interests me, and sharing all of my thoughts and what I'm learning!  It's how I communicate, my love language, if you will. 
 

My love for art comes in many forms. music, television & film, fashion, interior design, pop culture, painting, writing, all of it! It’s all inspiring to me.  

Luckily, creativity has always come as second nature to me. I don’t say this arrogantly, or boastfully. Just truthfully. It’s taken me a really long time to even have the confidence to say “I’m an artist”.  Creativity is part of who I am, how I see the world, and how I express myself.  

Let me backup a little, because you’re probably like “ok, where are you going with this?!” 

I was born with a very severe, but very rare, condition in one of my legs.  It’s not genetic, and it sure as hell isn’t normal.  Well, to anyone but me of course, but who wants to be normal anyway? I'm not going to dive into all the details, but basically, I have several extra veins that do not go anywhere relevant in my body and as a result, they form blood clots. This complicates my circulation and can make the slightest of movements very painful. There are days when I can’t walk or put any pressure on my foot or ankle; I’ve broken all 3 bones in that leg, and still have a titanium rod in my femur. *cue David Guetta

​

​

​

​

​

​

I’ve experienced chronic pain since I was a toddler, surgeries annually since the age of 5 (I am now 36), and hospitals like Boston Children's, Mount Sinai, and Johns Hopkins will always be the norm. I’m even in medical textbooks. I constantly get puzzled looks from those who do not understand, or who simply cannot sympathize with what I've experienced, and will continue to experience for the rest of my life.  This even includes several medical professionals, who just look at me like a rubik's cube they can't solve.  Which can be an extremely frustrating feeling, not being understood.  

What does any of this have to do with art?  Well, everything. 

Dealing with something that limited my daily physical activity, especially as a child, who was constantly laid up on the couch or in bed, forced me to rely on my imagination and creativity.  My days would consist of coloring, drawing, puzzles, creative writing, endless movies, and since middle school, collage art.  

It started out as just something simple I liked to do.  Ripping out pages from popular magazines of my favorite things and cutting them up to collect in a notebook. It was fun, and I came to realize I was really good at it. The more I practiced and found my style the more coordinated the collages became.  Full visual aesthetics based on color, themes, fashion, celebrities, you name it,  would come to life right in front of me!

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Now, I know everyone has a different interpretation of what art is or what they think it should be. There’s no right or wrong answer. And who knows, had I been dealt a different hand and lived a different life entirely, my perceptions and skills could be drastically different from what they are now. But maybe it’s those exact life experiences that created and developed my particular passion and appreciation for art. Or maybe I just was fatefully meant to be a creative person despite my condition. Maybe it’s a little of both. 

But one thing is for sure. The pain I have lived through has also helped me grow.  It’s shown me that negatives can be turned into positives, and despite ugliness and darkness, beauty can still shine through.  Creative expression is one of the purest forms of therapy and that is what my art is. It’s my outlet. My saving grace, and most often, my escape. Yet, I’ve also found it to be a connection. A connection to people, things, experiences, and even myself. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

EclectiKollection, and now EclectikPixie, are truly my passion projects. I hope you enjoy my site and all of the unique content I offer. Take a look around; perhaps you’ll discover what exhilarates you as well.

Stay inspired.