I chose to move to Seattle to be close to the mountains and water. I quickly fell into a group of friends who had a shared interest in hiking, mountaineering, and skiing, so we spent almost every weekend outdoors. Within a year of moving, I rented a studio space in the Arts & Cultural Center in Georgetown, where I started painting for art walks and local shops. When I looked for inspiration, it came in the form of my new admiration for mountains and time spent exploring them.