Hi! I’m Monica, and I’m your teacher and guide in all of my classes. Whether we speak of inspiration or creativity- or a mix of the two- I’m super excited! :)

I’m an Artist. This is both my essence, and my profession. I have always had this perception of myself as an Artist very clear in mind since I was little: I liked to draw, to paint, to be creative, and it was what I loved and I wanted to do on a daily basis. Since my “Nonno” (my Grandfather on my Mom’s side) was an award-winning painter, I was introduced very early to art, and I’ve painted my first oil at the tender age of 3.

I come from a family of painters, sculptors, cooks, and musicians, so art and creativity are definitely in my blood.

I also have been exposed to photography since I was a little girl, because my Dad loved photography as a hobby, and we even had a “dark room” at home! He allowed me to use his Canon, and it’s from those early days that my passion grew and grew. I can say, I never stopped playing! Photography is one of my favorite ways to express myself creatively.

Today I can confidently say that my greatest love and passion is- and has ever been- photography, and art is simply a natural and spontaneous attribute of my personality. Art and creativity is how I “function” and I express myself. It’s not something I think of, or even can say I love or am passionate about. Of course I love it and have passion for it, but it’s more of a natural force in me that can’t be stopped, even if I wanted.

I feel compelled to create and make art, because the truth is, if I don’t give voice to what is hidden inside myself, and wants to come out through me, I totally go crazy! I feel that art is a natural and spontaneous expression of who I am, and I need to express myself freely in order to feel good. As simple as that.

I have always known this about myself, even though I was certainly not able to verbalize until a bunch of years ago. And I’ve always done something creative in my life– actually, lots of creativity has always filled my days since I was little. Then, in my teenage years, I started being more deliberate, and made the (somehow unconscious, and not very clearly defined) decision that I wanted to make of creativity my profession. I started learning, practicing and experimenting with various techniques, making a lot, creating a lot, taking private lessons, experimenting even more, stepping out of my comfort zone regularly  (like having solo exhibitions, showing my art and crafts to relatives, friends, school teachers and acquaintances, and basically whomever was willing to listen and showed some sort of interest in my work).

From there, a very long journey of deep certainty, deep desire, and sheer willpower began. I went through endless challenges, cried many tears, faced continued rejection, until I could finally be internationally published and recognized for my work, that is now loved and appreciated worldwide.

This journey, that lasted more than twenty years, has given me very stable foundations for everything I do, everything I know, and the ability to teach it. While I didn’t go to Art School (because my family didn’t believe that art was a “profession” but just a hobby, and my Mom was afraid that I could become a rebel by going to Art School … something I have become anyway! LOL), my experience has given me the confidence and qualification to teach and guide others anyway.

Over the past 30+ years I have been creating and experimenting in the field of Art and Creativity, practicing and growing my skills in all the types of crafts and activities that sparked an interest in me. From watercolor, to mixed media art, silk painting, painting on wood, on glass, on fabric, on porcelain/ceramic, and basically any surface that can be painted (I even hand-painted several pieces of furniture), sewing, salt dough, flower arrangement, spice binding, jewelry making, embroidery, cartonnage, crochet, different types of candle making, soap making, doll making, teddy bear making, and crafts of all kind. I’ve been creating, painting or drawing daily for more than three decades now, and I believe that this is quite an achievement in itself!

Since 2009, I also experienced an unusual, unordinary and exponential personal growth. I went through a spiritual awakening, a journey of deep and radical transformation from the inside out, that shaped me through fire into the person that you see today.

This “journey to wings”, as I like to call it, because it truly resembles the life cycle of a butterfly, gave me the confidence and tools to be able to offer classes about self-help, healing and personal development, that are greatly inspiring, motivating, and transformative.

When Covid hit the world, I had another powerful awakening, and I started surrendering to the calling of my heart once again. What if I stopped struggling, and allowed instead? What if I put a halt to the series of inner battles that had been plagued me for years? What if I swapped certainty for uncertainty, but stayed true to my heart?

And so, I started making very uncomfortable choices, letting go of what wasn’t serving me anymore, and opening the door for something new.

And finally, in 2024, my true path found me. I consciously and deliberately decided to swap personal success for the JOY of others, and devote myself full-time to teach art and creativity, share inspiration and heal the world through my given gifts. I can’t think of a more fulfilling path ever! This journey fills me with utter pleasure and crazy excitement, confirming me once again that I’ve made the right choice.

I hope to be able to inspire you with my energy, presence, and work. If you’re a kindred spirit, I hope to connect with you!

I am myself and an Artist while playing with my hot glue gun, clay and glitter, gingerbread dough, cookie cutters. I am myself and an Artist while playing with sewing needles and buttons, or my sewing machine, creating anything that makes me happy or I’m inspired to make. I have four sewing machines (one belonged to my Great Grandmother, one to my Grandmother, and two newer ones I got myself, and I love them all!).

I am myself and an Artist while picking posies of JOY by the roadside, while going grocery shopping with my baskets, while running with flowers I keep under the elastic of my water bottle, while working in the middle of fields of wildflowers, laptop and all. I am myself and an Artist while sketching on a bench in town , in-between errands, while having watercolor picnics outside or on the living room rug (I mean, why not?!), when I take self-portraits in a lavender field in public, when I hang my paintings to dry to the clothesline, when I have a sandwich and tea in a graveyard in England, style pictures in a buttercup field, or in the middle of the road just because there is a cute door or wall to use as stylish backdrop, smiling to the confused passers-by :).

I am myself and an Artist when sketching at the garden centre, at the supermarket, at the restaurant. When I take pictures in public in the most unlikely situation (what does a Creative/Photographer do for a good picture?!), when I run outside of the door to the garden with our food for a “quick shot” before serving it, when I journal or draw in the car, when I go antiquing and my head is a whirlwind of excitement and creative ideas, when I lit candles on the kitchen windowsill while doing the dishes in silence. When I stop suddenly and say out loud, “OOOOOHHHHH!!!”, “AAAAHHHHHH!”, “WOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!”.

I just can’t help. I must be myself! :)