My mother was a medical doctor and my father was a professional athlete (bobsleigher and athlete). My first great inspiration was my father who used to make little paper houses for us children and paint them. They looked beautiful, and we were really amazed then. My mother also encouraged us to be creative. Besides, we had art books at home that inspired me as well. I remember a book that frightened me. It was a Rozentāls book with drawings of Bible stories that looked scary, and I would sometimes get the book off the shelf on purpose to get frightened. Ever since I was a child, I loved to paint, draw and make things with my hands. My brother played the bassoon, my sister played the piano and I went to art school.