Photography:
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, I picked up film photography as a way to get outside and enjoy nature. I am a casual film enthusiast, and I mainly shoot vintage SLRs (e.g., Pentax K-1000, Nikon F-series, Olympus OM series). I also frequently enjoy working with expired film (20+ years past the expiration date!), and many of my favorite pieces were produced from such rolls. The images in the carousel are a selection of my favorite shots I've taken in the last several years. More of my photography can be found on my Instagram account, @mildpicantesauce.
Screenprint / Silkscreen and Other Print Techniques:
Shortly after relocating to Princeton in June 2025, I learned techniques in silkscreen printing through instruction at the Arts Council. I find the silkscreen process to be deeply relaxing, meditative, and creative in a way that I haven't experienced through other mediums. You can usually find me in the print studio on Saturday or Sunday mornings :) The carousel above consists of a small selection of scans of my original works.
I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life in Lafayette, LA in the heart of Cajun Country. My family is from Vermillion Parish, LA and I am of French-Cajun descent and heritage. I am conversational in French, and I feel most "in my element" when I am in Paris, France. During graduate school, I devoted my free time to learning Russian as a way to challenge myself, engage with new perspectives, and honor my mathematical heritage and my thesis advisor. I spent four years in the Russian Language Program at Cornell, and although I do still find speaking challenging, I enjoy testing my comprehension skills through Soviet films. Мой любимый советский фильм "Вокзал для двоих."
I am an ardent Ukraine supporter, and in 2023, I co-founded Litera: Ukrainian Educational Outreach at Cornell to provide free virtual speaking clubs for English language learners in Ukraine. Litera continues to thrive as a Cornell Student Organization, and I am proud to continue to support their efforts.