In 2008, my old boss gave me a large-format professional printer, along with rolls of paper, ink, and some other office equipment, as his business was closing. I brought it home and kept it in my garage for a few years, occasionally using it to make prints and gifts for friends—but honestly, I was a little intimidated by it.

Then, in 2013, life unexpectedly changed. We had to move to another town, and I had just welcomed a premature baby. I was also navigating a difficult postpartum period, so I decided to leave my job. I needed to find something that would allow me to be creative while also being present for my baby and adjusting to our new home.

I couldn’t find the kind of art I wanted for my own home—or for my baby’s room. Nothing felt affordable, well-made, and personal enough. So I started making my own.

I was heartbroken about the move. I missed the beach, my friends, and the community I had built. I found myself turning to the places I loved most, creating prints inspired by my favorite beaches in Encinitas and the California coast.

Around that time, I was invited to collaborate with Vuori for the launch of their women’s line and had the opportunity to show my work at an event with them. I brought some of my beach prints, and the response was incredible.

I called the show Yes, Sea and created the very first Yes, Sea print specifically for the event.

The name came from something very personal. Spanish is my first language, and with my accent, “sí” (yes) and “sea” sound surprisingly close. My husband and I used to text each other things like, “Do you want to go to the beach?” and the answer would be, “Yes, Sea!” It became our little way of saying yes to the ocean, yes to adventure, and yes to each other.

When people started asking where they could buy the prints, I realized there might be something here. That’s when I remembered the old printer sitting in my garage.

I dusted it off, found the manual, read the entire thing, invested in some new paper—we were very much on a budget at the time—and put my prints online.

And just like that, Yes, Sea began.

I was doing everything from my tiny garage, with my little boy right beside me—designing, printing, packing orders, and figuring it all out as I went.

What started from a need to create something for my own home became something so much bigger than I ever imagined. Yes, Sea has grown and changed over the years, but the heart of it remains the same: creating art inspired by the places we love and the memories we make there.

I’m so grateful for the way it all unfolded—and for everyone who has been part of the journey.

Here’s to many more chapters, many more places, and many more memories to come.