In the summer of 2002, I worked with women in Samoa who started their own businesses with microfinance loans. Based in Apia, Samoa, I spent nearly every day in villages across the island as part of South Pacific Business Development (SPBD). SPBD is a pioneering organization that funds microloans and provides business training to the women in Samoa and across the South Pacific.

I spent time with the women and their families. I got to see how their businesses were changing their lives. With their earnings, the women invested in their homes, sent their kids to school, and even started additional businesses.

At night I painted.

Through my acrylic and mixed media paintings, I captured the stories of these entrepreneurs and their families. The colors, the flowers, the ocean, and the lifestyle were intoxicating and they all feature in my work.

This time on the islands was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. My work was made possible by a Burch Fellowship through Honors Carolina at UNC-Chapel Hill. I am forever grateful.