Growing up with an artist mother and brother, Sam was always encouraged to make things and draw, but only painted "by number". She took sculpture classes in high school, and secretly wanted to be a painter. Instead, Sam became an elementary school teacher where for 30 years the influence of the art and stories from all the children's picture books was absorbed deep in her subconscious; ultimately waiting for the right time to emerge. In 2013, after visiting the studio of artist Jesse Reno, Sam decided it was time to start painting. She has been painting almost every day since then, creating paintings that combine playfulness and honesty. Sam establish's a series of gestures, momentary thoughts and feelings that meet on a single surface and that accumulate into much more.