- Virginia beach Boardwalk art show -

I grew up in Virginia Beach, where a strong sense of community around local art, restaurants, and small businesses creates a distinct energy, and in many ways that environment has inspired me all my life.

Some of my earliest memories are from summers spent outside in our backyard on the water. I would set up my own little table and paint for hours—pink coneflowers, whatever caught my eye that day—surrounded by the sound of birds and the constant breeze off the water. There was something about it that felt almost magical, like having my own small world to create in.

I spent summers at the Virginia MOCA, just off 22nd Street, where I had teachers who made creativity feel open and accessible. They encouraged experimenting, trying new materials, and not worrying about getting things “right.” Looking back, that kind of environment built a quiet confidence—that I could make something, figure it out, and keep going.

At home, I saw another representation of this idea. When my dad set up an easel in our basement, I remember being completely in awe. He would paint these large abstract pieces, and I’d sit next to him working on my own. What stayed with me was the realization that he could create something—something beautiful—that would never have otherwise existed, and that it was a direct expression of his mind at that moment.

As I got older, I always knew I loved being creative, but I didn’t really see it as something I could pursue seriously. I followed a more traditional academic path and ended up studying computer science in college. At a certain point, I realized it was going to lead me to a life I didn’t want—sitting at a desk coding all day. I remember my dad questioning how stressed I had been and saying, “I always thought you’d end up in something creative, not science.” I don’t think I had ever really allowed myself to consider that as a real possibility.

Now, creativity shows up in almost everything I do. It’s not just one medium—it’s a range of artful projects. Ocean resin pieces, web design, graphic design, videography, photography. Each one feels like a different way of exploring the same instinct to create, to experiment, and to see what’s possible.

Even in other areas of my life, whether it’s volleyball championships or the next big road trip, that same motivation is there. It’s less about the category and more about the challenge—seeing what I can do, what I can figure out, what I can execute well.

I think a lot of people have something creative there, but don’t always give themselves the space to explore it. There’s a hesitation to mess something up, to try and not get it right the first time. But so much of it comes from just starting, adjusting, and trying again.

The Virginia Beach Surf Art Expo, happening Memorial Day weekend alongside the Coastal Edge Steel Pier Classic, feels like a natural extension of all of this. It brings together the environment I grew up in—surf culture, the boardwalk, and a community that genuinely values local creativity—and the work I’m making now.

I still spend time on the boardwalk year-round, riding my bike and resetting in the same spaces I’ve always returned to. Being able to show my work there, in that environment, feels less like a departure and more like coming home. After walking the boardwalk art show as a kid many times, to return as

I’ll be there with wall art pieces, serving trays, charcuterie boards, catch-all trays, coasters, candles, prints, and postcards—pieces that reflect the same surroundings that have always influenced me.

Thank you to everyone who makes this show possible, especially Jodie Woodward, for creating opportunities like this for artists.

If you’re in Virginia Beach over Memorial Day weekend, I’d love for you to stop by!

You can see more at https://shophartart.com