THE FAIRYTALE: In a world of masquerading romantic tragedy, holds places of splendid melancholy, a world filled with vampires and dark stories created through relics and one-of-a-kind jewelry. I introduce to you, the Red Heart Cult™; inspired by the Victorian way of life, classic romance, seduction and lastly the human soul.

THE BIRTH: About 11 years ago, my collections morphed into assemblage art, later developing into eco-friendly jewelry which was birth of Red Heart 13. My true obsession is treasure hunting at flea markets or the cramped spaces of estate sales and antique stores. What truly gets me worked up is the mystery. When I find IT, all my senses are intrigued. I suppose it started from going to yard sales with my mom as a little girl and visits to my grandmother’s haunted third floor. I would open drawers and dusty hatboxes to find beautiful vintage lingerie and handwritten letters, often wondering the journeys they’ve traveled and the skin they’ve touched.

THE CALLING: My jewelry inspiration comes from life experiences, spirituality and my latest obsession, the art of war. Every story comes with each footstep, and an object carries forth a piece of history. This is one of my objectives within my own art, to tell a story. I’ve been creating my own war ensembles, military-inspired jewelry that reaps my fascination to such personal stories of battle, brotherhood and the hardship of history.

THE HUNT: I cherish the hunt before a piece is even made, exploring flea markets, antique stores and abandoned buildings. I spend the afternoon dancing with my vintage pieces and painting by the daylight. I love reconstruction and almost never sketch. I feel the pieces call to each other as my hands work in a rhythmic dance, eventually renewing timeless companions together.

SHE WORE BLACK: My process of painting is compelled by the soul even before the brush is romanced. Like the Victorians, I believe that a photograph can be cherished as a memento of the dead and a reminder that life is fragile. The faces are often painted in a somber state and they are dolled in dark attire, ready for what I like to call the Black Parade: a celebration and reminder of death. Some of my paintings also explore oddities of the sideshow world and melt the fear of the dark. I love to complete each portrait with a name and short story about each character within the Skeleton Krew Collection.

Creating is a passion of mine; I don’t think I could live without expressing it in some way.