About

Music has always been the backdrop of my life. I grew up playing piano and dancing around the kitchen to Shania and Britney. My maternal grandmother was a ballerina, my mom played the violin and piano, and my stepdad’s mother performed in vocal groups. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of singing right along with her and her friends. In our house, music was my safe place.

Throughout high school, I was heavily involved in the performing arts, spending my time in show choir, musical theater, and teaching local music lessons. My first job was even at a local music studio. I also gained early exposure to the maker community by attending craft fairs with my mom to help sell her wire-wrapped jewelry. While I was always surrounded by these creative outlets, I truly found my own artistic focus during my junior and senior years through an intensive art study and entrepreneurship class. I also jumped on a greyhound bus to Chicago to audition for The Voice (spoiler, I didn't make it.)

Changing my major from music to fine art just a month before moving into college definitely wasn't the plan, but it ended up being the best decision I could have made. It gave me the space to fine-tune my skills, eventually landing my work in a handful of L.A. County galleries. While in school, I also dive headfirst into leadership working as an art director for a local non-profit and spending three years on the school yearbook team, ultimately serving as Editor-in-Chief.

College wrapped up with my senior art show, The Waiting Room. It was a deeply personal exhibition featuring thrown pottery, a custom light fixture crafted from my medical records, and childhood photos peeking through images of my brain scans. Alongside the installation, I also curated a community space where I presented my final portfolio, bringing the whole creative chapter to a close.

May 5, 2018 I graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design and Photography.

In June of 2018, I officially started Effie's Studio. Taking the leap into freelance graphic design and photography opened so many amazing doors. Through the studio, I've been able to capture everything from local weddings and portraits to the absolute chaos and magic of New York Fashion Week.

2018 was the year I finished school, moved to Redlands, and finally came back to music. While singing has always been an important anchor for me, actually getting out into the local community and performing again felt amazing. It completely reshaped my social life in a brand-new city; I met so many of my favorite adult friends during this exact chapter.

Like it did for everyone, COVID completely flipped the script for me. Finding myself with an unexpected influx of free time, I channeled my energy back into a tactile creative space and started crafting resin and polymer clay jewelry. What began as a quarantine outlet quickly grew and before long, my pieces were stocked in boutiques around town, and Effie's Studio took on a whole new meaning.

One creative outlet quickly became multiple and I launched a new side of Effie's Studio that focused around skincare. While I don't sell any of these today, I still make small batches just for me.

In August 2023, I collaborated on a joint gallery show that got me back into creating large-scale wall art. That collection marked the last major creative project I’d take on for a while, as my focus soon shifted. I stepped into the professional world by joining my mom’s newly launched company, and I’ve been working alongside her for the last couple of years.

Music never really went away. I might have taken a break from actual performing, but I was still known for hitting up too many concerts and being a regular in the local karaoke scene. Coming back to my roots has been so exciting. I even got to step out under the stadium lights to sing the National Anthem at a 66ers game!

Looking back, it’s wild to see how art and music have always been completely woven into who I am. For a long time, they took turns being the main gig and the side hustle, but lately, they've spent too much time as just hobbies. When you're a kid, dreaming of becoming an artist or musician is effortless. Then you grow up, and the realism of adulthood makes you hesitate. But I’m done keeping these passions on the sidelines. It’s time to come back to me, fully. That’s exactly what Love, Effie is about. It's bringing together art and music, and finally sharing them with you. I couldn't be more excited for this next chapter!