From an early age, nature and my imagination provided fuel for casual drawing and sketching, which I used as an escape from my schoolwork and household chores, from the stresses of my adolescence in Pinochet’s Chile, from my development as a classical musician working toward a master’s in music at the New England Conservatory of Music. I continued this casual practice through my subsequent career as a professional violist and as Executive Director of San Francisco Classical Voice. 

In 2016, my life changed profoundly when I lost my hearing. Without music in my life or the ability to communicate easily with friends, I found solace in the forests, trails, and lakes of Mt. Tamalpais, California, where I was living. This immersion in nature reminded me of the summers I spent on the shores of a remote lake in southern Chile, swimming, drawing, and finding beauty in the details of small and magical things. I began drawing and painting again, first with watercolors and later with graphite, charcoal, and oils. 

Today, botanical art stands as the central pillar of my art. It has allowed me to express my love of the natural world and its endless variety, and I have a deep appreciation for its rich history and enduring traditions. I am currently honing my skills and exploring new landscapes in Chile, which I recently returned to, as well as enhancing my knowledge of shape, line, light, and color through the study of classical realism. This has provided me with a disciplined and structured approach that continues to shape my artistic expression. 

My current botanical work focuses on plants found exclusively in my native Chile, using graphite to capture them in a true and expressive manner that reflects their fragility and temporal beauty in a contemporary world that threatens their existence.