I’m not sure when I became interested in studying how people lived in previous eras. My best guesses include the family stories I heard as a child, passed down to me from my relatives; and the various historical fiction books I read in school, including Uprising (Margaret Peterson Haddux), The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) and–of course–the entire Laura Ingalls series. My childhood dream to write a historical fiction novel only added fuel to the fire.

While the experience of everyday women during the Panic of 1893 is my go-to in terms of favorite historical topics, I have a burgeoning affinity for the 1820s and 1830s, whose flamboyant fashions became the inspiration for the “Gay Nineties” nearly 70 years later. The 1960s and 1970s also figure in my research from time to time, due in large part to the music my Dad introduced me to as a child. Sources concerning life in Eastern Europe (where my relatives emigrated from after World War II) between 1870 and 1950, round out my research interests.

I credit the development of my skills in research and critical thinking to the faculty at two institutions: Sarah Lawrence College, of which I graduated in 2019 (Concentrations in Sociology and Creative Writing); and the University of Oxford Wadham College, where I studied abroad between 2017-2018. Additionally, my time spent cataloging the Wayne Museum collections (2022-2026) further honed my skills in using the material world around me, to firmly entrench my projects with the lived experience of everyday people.

Some of my favorite sources to use when crafting a new project include historical garments, furniture, newspapers, photographs, and letters/diaries. Material objects handled by women are especially dear to me as primary sources, as the stories of everyday women in history tend to be overshadowed by the deeds and sayings of their more famous male counterparts. You can find a sample of the research I’ve performed over the past few years here.

To me, creativity and history go hand-in-hand. I’ve been drawing out my imagined creations since I was a toddler; and, the more invested I’ve become in historical research, the more my sketchbook has become a place of creative exploration. All the information I learn must go somewhere–be it in the form of concept art for dresses, interior design, or scene ideas for a creative project. Additionally, classes in animation, drawing, and color theory have helped me take the images I see in my head and transform them into the vibrant, character-driven style which permeates my work.

While the most visible fruits of this relationship come in the form of my characters, my creative-historical relationship has also fostered my newest hobby: sewing period-accurate or historically-inspired clothing.