I was born and raised in Brazil, immersed in vibrant colors and sounds. I started painting and drawing at 3years old, according to my parents. Much to my parents ' dismay, I would draw on every available surface, and the same would happen at school. My parents were called to school once, and the principal showed my parents my desk, decorated with intricate designs. My parents looked at the principal, not knowing if they should apologize or support my “creativity”. I painted and drew through my school years until my parents relented and sent me to the Panamerican School of Art, where I stayed for four happy years. By the time of my High school graduation, I was sure I knew what I wanted for my future. I told my parents I wanted to be an artist, and they said artists die penniless and may sometimes lose an ear! They pointed to the pile of art books I had in my room with Vincent Van Gogh’s collection of artworks right on top of it! Their words impressed me greatly, and I became a therapist who saw clients full-time and painted on the weekends.

One day, I felt such longing as I looked at my small studio area in my home. I turned on my stereo and I painted as I listened to Dvorak’s Cello concerto in B minor, one of my favorite compositions by that composer. I started painting, and I felt as if everything at that moment was leading me to a breakthrough, and it did. Art filled me with joy, and I got reacquainted with a part of me that was hardly allowed to get loose and free, and at that point, there was no turning back. I was transformed by experiencing authenticity and connecting with my soul. Art and life for me are entwined, vibrating in every fiber of my being. Today, I counsel my clients part-time, and I paint and paint and paint some more, instilling in every piece I make the freedom and the immense joy I feel.