There are thousands of clever ways I could tell you about myself, but I figure this straight-forward tale tells you enough about me. Hello.
I am Kirai.
Or perhaps you know me by Maranda Cromwell.
I am a female ape descendant of 18 years. I like tea, comic books, and collecting animal skulls.
When I fill out “about me” sections in surveys and profiles, I put first that “I am an artist”, oftentimes before I mention my name, age, gender, or grade. This is realistic, in a way, since before anything else I consider myself a being of art. The genre of art I chose to dedicate my life to was not music, plays, pottery, nor poetry: what I chose to do was painting and drawing. (But I do write a little, too.)
In the beginning, I would draw almost nothing but silly-looking dragons and characters from my favorite videogames. Once I was into drawing, I was hooked. After a while art became part of my life permanently. I drew every day, and soon my hobby turned into a passion.

As of a few years ago, I became active in the fantasy art scene. Since creating and taking full advantage of my imagination was already a habit of mine, I rather enjoyed coming up with crazy things to draw and create. (It also could have been because I was raised on films like Star Wars, The Dark Crystal, and The Nightmare before Christmas.) Fantasy and science fiction sparked my imagination and I wanted to make worlds and creatures like the things I saw in films. I began creating my own characters, worlds, and stories. One storyline in the works was inspired by studying Transcendentalism in school, the mundanity of existing fantasy novels (elves, orcs, and dwarves, oh my), and my characters. That story is now being written and is called The Fellowship Hunters, my pride and joy.

There are many facets and sides to my artist self, much like a cut gem. Aside from fantasy and scifi art, wildlife and nature art is my other passion. I've always had a great appreciation of the natural world and all the creatures that inhabit it. I try to include the importance of nature and animals in my art as much as I can.

I started to take outside of school art classes from a local fantasy artist Rob Carlos, who gave my artist career a boost in the right direction. He helped me improve my skills in art, taught me the wonders of oil paints, trained me in Photoshop, printed and helped me sell my artwork at numerous events, and above all, gave me confidence. (He also lets me use some of his webspace, hoorah!)

I also took art classes in school as well as out of it. I learned more and more about art. I studied the master painters, learned new techniques, and even got a trip to France and Italy out of it. I’m almost certain school would hold no meaning if not for art class. A simple class has turned into an extended family, one which I am extremely thankful to have. Not every student is as lucky as I to have such a supporting and comfortable environment. After graduating high school in 2009, I still visit my old art class friends and teachers.

I draw every day. And on the off chance that I don’t draw, I’m thinking of new ideas and constantly brainstorming. Everything I see and experience adds to my collection of inspirations that I continually draw upon to advance my art.

Sometimes, I visualize what my life would be like without art.
I don’t like what I see.