What city are you based in?

I am based in the Dallas area.

Can you tell us about your first cosplay?

For my first cosplay, I went as a female version of Link from The Legend of Zelda. I was super nervous but also very excited to see what a convention was like. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive of my cosplay. It inspired me to continue crafting and creating fun characters that I personally connect with.

Do you have a cosplay piece that you are most proud of?

I love getting to show off the works of other local crafters so I am particularly proud of my Carolina Red vs. Blue armor made by my good friend Saul X Portillo (Winraven) and my Amazon armor made by Dave Kramer at Prop Monkey Studios. I think the cosplay I feel most at home in is my Supergirl suit. I have always been a big fan of Superman so getting to be his cousin is really fun and I feel a big connection to her. I am also really proud of how my BioShock Splicer turned out. I created my hand hooks out of paper mache, glue sticks, and stir sticks. It takes a lot of special FX makeup which I do myself and it took a lot of time and effort to create the full look.

What do you hope to achieve through cosplay?

I hope to inspire others to get creative and express themselves in a positive atmosphere. I would like to grow my following and one day be asked to be a guest at these cons I love to attend.

If you could give any piece of advice to new cosplayers, what would it be?

Don’t be afraid to try something new and if at first you don’t succeed try again. Not all of your cosplays will come out the way you want or thought they would-- but don’t let that discourage you. I have gone out to conventions multiple times and had no one recognize what character I was portraying. That is okay. Even if your character is not 100% accurate you should be proud of the work you put into it. Cosplay is about having fun and meeting people who also share a passion for creativity.

What would you say is the hardest part of cosplaying?

I feel like the hardest part of cosplaying can be the process of putting everything on and also making sure you are able to get around comfortably at a convention. Sometimes it can take hours to get into full makeup, wig, and suit. I have learned the hard way that walking around all day can put a lot of wear and tear on your cosplay. I really appreciate the much-needed cosplay hideaways and spaces where one can go to repair their cosplays when they don’t quite make it through the day.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Lord of the Rings, what is your favorite movie from the trilogy?

My favorite movie from the trilogy would have to be The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I always enjoy watching characters first meet each other and learn to work together. I find it very interesting to see how the character's different personalities bounce off of each other during the film.