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Experience
Experience is the only true way to learn and advance in the industry, and I have had a lot of amazing opportunities in my career to do so. From 2005 thru 2010 I was the Artistic director, and educator Salon Visage. I was responsible for teaching monthly creative workshops and quarterly style forecasts focusing on looks for upcoming seasons. Another responsibility included in my position was directing seasonal photo shoots in which I decide location, models, wardrobe, styling team, and the overall artistic direction of the shoot. My work has been published in several style and trade magazines including  American Salon, Modern Salon, City View - Knoxville Magazine, and also several style articles in the Knoxville News Sentinel. I have styled and directed styling for fashion shows of local artists and clothing boutiques, and also created countless makeovers for the local television shows Live @ 5 and The Style Show. I taught on stage in four International Beauty Shows with Salon Visage, (three shows in N.Y.C. and one in Chicago where I also assisted Jamie Carroll.) I’ve been booked out to teach cutting techniques and future fashion trends at various salons nationwide, and also had the opportunity to work with the Van Michael creative team in the Alternative Hair Show on their theatrical rendition of Kill Bill. I assembled an exclusive cutting collection for Salon Visage that premiered at Hair Color USA in Scottsdale, Arizona. I opened and managed Studio Visage, a sister salon of Salon Visage, for three years. This included designing the atmosphere and interior aesthetic, managing daily operations, and teaching the up-and-coming stylists how to build their retention, retail, and coach them technically. The "STUDIO" was truly one of my most personal, and passionate endeavors to date.

Education
The more you know about something, the greater of an expert you become. This is most certainly true when it comes to hair; I feel I can never learn enough. My education began with me gradguating from Tennessee School of Beauty whereupon I quickly began working/training at Salon Visage under Frank Gambuzza and Brent Borreson. Throughout my career I have studied at numerous locations both nationally and internationally. I spent two weeks at Vidal Sassoon Academy of London in a creative cutting class, spent time on two separate occasions at the House of Bumble in N.Y.C. focusing on new cutting and razoring techniques. I attended the program “Cut and Know Why” at the Redken Academy off fifth avenue in N.Y.C. I also attended a class on creative dry cutting at John Donato Salon in Toronto, Also an alternative inspiration class with David K. at the L'Oreal Institute. A main cornerstone of Salon Visage is their dedication to continuing education. Numerous talents are brought in from all over the world to share new philosophies and cutting techniques to the salon staff. I have been so fortunate to get first hand training from some of the best contemporary stylists including: a two day workshop with Toni and Guy on trend cutting, two separate cut and color workshops taught by teams from the Vidal Sassoon Academy, and a haircutting workshop and demonstration by Vivienne Mackinder. Editorial Stylist Laurent Dufrong taught classes on the cutting and styling of editorial hairstyles, and Yves Durrif. David K. taught a class on plane blending, and his philosiphies behind his cutting techniques. I have attended hair shows nationwide where I took classes from John Sahag , Fedrick Fekkai, Yosh, Luis Liongueras, Ann Humphreys, Tim Hartley, Stephen Moody, Kris Sorbie, Sam Villa, and Antoinette Beenders. I've also been to haircutting and color demonstrations at Van Michael educational events in Atlanta Ga. where I watched demonstrationss from Tim Hartley, Ann Humphreys, Antionett Beenders, and Vivienne Mackinder.

My Personal Cutting Technique
Everything I've been taught throughout my career has come together in a blend to form a unique style all my own . I believe it's essential to start with a technically strong foundation, and build upon that foundation with both outside inspiration and your own creativity. I rely on and trust in the technical aspects of cutting, but I also believe in creatively personalizing in many different ways. I do not believe in, nor can I execute cutting hair in one specific way every time. I feel every person is completely different from the next and that idea inspires me to approach their hair on an individual basis as well. With this philosophy I feel I can be limitless in design and the tailoring, of couture haircutting.

Inspiration & Philosophy
I draw my inspiration from a variety of avenues, but my main life lines are art and music. I cannot exist without them. Some of my influences include, but are not limited to, Urban Culture, (e.g. street art/artists, subways, window displays, fashion,) national and international travel, 20th century American Modernists, (esp. Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and John Michel Basquiat.) Also skateboarding and all of its subculture, Ed Templeton, Jack White, Andre 3000, Native American/Tribal Cultures, Nick Saban, and interesting strangers have had a profound impact on me both personally and Artisticly. I believe inspiration can be found anywhere; It’s a matter of being open to the environment that you're in and surrounding yourself with people who bring out the best in you.