I am an artist, horticulturist, and someone who loves to share my passions with a community. I studied psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and have been involved in the horticulture therapy community ever since graduating. Alongside my psychology degree, I engaged with the art community in Madison, spending a lot of time in the ceramics studio, and my art was always connected to nature. I also pursued natural science courses, such as dendrology, the study of trees, and ornithology, in which we studied birds. Beyond my academic learning, I saw that we can approach healing in more experiential and creative ways. Biophilia is our innate tendency to be drawn to nature and living things. The word translates to “love of life,” and we all have it.

My interest in plants and green spaces began in my family’s backyard, where my dad tended to vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, and spicy peppers. Observing his connection to seasonal rhythms and careful attention to growth sparked my curiosity and patience, planting the seed for my journey into horticulture. Over time, my focus expanded from general gardening to studying the plants themselves to studying the effects they had on people’s well-being. Please see my poem called “Isn’t it Lovely”, which speaks to this topic, and I encourage you to explore the pieces I have written about my connections to the natural world.

My experiences taught me to slow down, recognize patterns, and appreciate the intricacies of plant life, while also helping me feel grounded and connected to the larger natural system around me.