COM 222  fall 2014

Artist's Statement 

I faced an uphill battle while growing up in Tampa, FL. Despite having a rough upbringing in rather poor areas of town, I found solace in these environments. To me there was always an over abundance of children to play with, which is common in poverty-stricken areas. We had to be creative to be able to entertain each other. Every day was full of advantages, and this creative atmosphere formed the foundation of my creative spirit.

 

Case studies have shown that creative people usually come from adversity. More life experiences one has to overcome provide critical problem-solving abilities. Being from this environment made me comfortable with sharing my ideas freely. Overcoming financial adversity to graduate from the prestigious private University of Tampa allowed me to set small goals that would allow me to obtain the much larger goal. More importantly, struggling to contribute to the cost of my education allowed me to truly know myself, which is key to achieving success in anything.