My Design Journey
Passion Ignites The story that got me into UCLA
My earliest memories include me, circa 2005, my father, his wood carvings, art supplies, and a balcony transformed into an art studio. I was born into a home filled with pieces of my father’s creations, but nothing made his art come to life like the balcony where we painted. Running around trying to steal my father’s supplies while he sat in his deepest concentration, as I sketched vague representations of the plants that grew in our garden is where my nostalgia lies. This was home, in the purest, most sacred sense. Each plant in our garden was a living piece of art, and through drawing it I got to imitate life. As I grew up on the balcony, I learned how to observe life through art, how art is created naturally through life. As my perspective has broadened through the years, art has become how life invests into itself, how a still moment lasts lifetimes. I find my creative side expressing itself in every way I can create, whether it’s reforming and mending my plants to wrap around parts of my home to instill life into the still, or as simple as painting on a canvas. I find myself altering every piece of clothing that I buy, making my jewelry, and leading my life through design. It is past a form of expression, rather a part of me that feels most at home when I am able to make art. My essence truly lies in my creative side, where I feel most at peace and blissful."
The digital projections behind the runway.
An Architectural Project Built Solely from Aluminum Foil
Mystic Waters, 2020.
Cleaopatra, 2023.
Behind the scenes styling during the show.
Final runway walk of the fashion show.
Fashion Design and Show Curation
Through the years, my silly drawings evolved into fashion sketches and an undying desire to design. With my grandmother’s sewing machine, help and patience, I learned to start sewing. Years later, I started learning about patterns, fabric, history, and creating my first pieces. During my studies at UCLA, I started working with Cultural Affairs, on an annual Fashion Show that has built a reputation for its celebration of LA Culture. The theme for our show was The Miseducation of Hip Hop Congress, a celebration of R&B and Hip Hop of the 90s.
This opportunity allowed me to curate the show and work as the Brand and Designer Coordinator. I worked with designers for fittings, styling, photoshoots, and built the fashion show with my team from ideation. Giving me the space to bring my design visions to life, gave me a deeper passion for design.
An Architectural Case Study of The Eames House on Revit.
Architecture
I've always loved design and how buildings looked and felt. Architecture was a way to combine my love for creating things with my interest in how spaces can tell stories. But as I learned more, I realized that what I really wanted was to explore how people interact with design on a digital level. So, I changed my focus to psychology and digital humanities. Still, my time dreaming about architecture taught me a lot. It helped me see design as more than just making things look good. It's about making them work for people's lives. That's a lesson I take with me into every project I work on now.
Ascension, 2022.
Product and UI UX Design
As my journey unfolded through painting, architecture, and fashion, a pattern began to emerge—one where my love for art and design consistently intersected with a fascination for the human experience. It was like every brush stroke on a canvas, every sketch of a building, and every stitch in a fabric was a step closer to finding my passion in UI UX and Product Design—the perfect marriage of my passions.
This path offered me a unique lens to view design—not just as a way to make things look attractive but as a means to solve real problems, enhance people’s lives, and make technology more accessible and enjoyable. The insights gained from my diverse interests helped me approach Product Design with empathy, creativity, and a deep understanding of user needs. It's here, in the confluence of design, technology and psychology, that I've found my true calling, crafting digital experiences that resonate with users on a personal level and make a tangible difference in their daily lives.
Painting A Canvas of life
My love for painting started by watching my dad. He could take anything - a piece of paper, a canvas, or even a pot I made - and make it come alive with his painting. Inspired by him, I began to paint too. At first, it was just sketches, but then I moved on to painting on canvases, shoes, and even books. Now, my room is like a little gallery, full of my paintings. Each one tells a bit of my story, showing how I see the world. Painting for me is like sharing a piece of my heart, continuing what my dad started.