The Story Behind the Lens

I first got behind the lens because of a great loss — my grandmother. I was never the person who loved being in pictures, and I always believed that memories lived best in the mind. But when she gave me my first camera, only to pass a year later, I realized how wrong I was. I had taken only a handful of photos — the last being my college graduation.

From that point on, I made an oath: to take life’s precious moments seriously, to capture them in any form and any style. To celebrate them. To remember them. To help others see joy through my lens.

My journey through art began at seven. I was shy — words often failed me — but art gave me a voice. I followed artists like Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Raphael, Frida Kahlo, and Dali, along with the graffiti legends of my Brooklyn neighborhood. They taught me color, shape, and attitude. Art became storytelling.

From chalk on sheetrock to mascara on paper, I learned to create from anything. Later, I taught children cubism, realism, and color theory — passing along that same freedom of expression.

Videography came next — shows like Uptown NYC and Bronx Exchange introduced me to community and storytelling on a larger scale. I highlighted artists, business owners, dancers, athletes — people who made up the heartbeat of the Bronx. A close mentor, Mary Dawn Tab, encouraged me to keep telling stories through the camera. Eventually, photography took over completely. It stopped being a hobby and became a passion I could no longer ignore.

Project Spyder draws from the proverbs of Anansi, the storyteller — the weaver of tales and lessons. It’s about versatility and connection, about seeing all parts of yourself as part of one creative web.

Over the years, I’ve been a designer, a videographer, a photographer, a fine artist, a musician, and a child care provider — teaching kids, guiding communities, and creating stories that matter.