Costume Design: My Journey in Theatrical Craftsmanship

My love affair with fabric and design started with a fascination for how things are built. While I learned the traditional rules of pattern making and construction in school, I quickly realized my heart belonged to the unusual, the theatrical design, and the complex structural puzzles that standard clothing just doesn't offer. 

That passion has taken me on an incredible journey through some truly magical creative spaces. I’ve spent years balancing the beautiful chaos of a bustling, high-volume costume shop at California’s Great America, where I got to design, dye, and distress everything from haunting production wardrobe to massive walk-around mascot characters. I’ve immersed myself in the meticulous, high-art world of the San Francisco Opera, focusing on the fine craftsmanship of menswear and period costume craftsmanship. And I've had the absolute joy of bringing imaginative 2D sketches into the physical world as a stitcher and crafter for The Jim Henson Company.

For me, there is nothing quite like the thrill of fabric manipulation—taking a flat piece of material and twisting, dyeing, or shaping it into something completely unexpected. But I also genuinely love the organizational side of the craft. I find a rare sort of satisfaction in balancing that intense creative energy with the precision of managing budgets, leading teams, and hitting tight production deadlines.

Ultimately, my work is about bridging the gap between a wild imagination and the physical world. I love collaborating with other creatives and finding tactile, seamless solutions to design challenges that seem completely impossible on paper.