My all-consuming passion is art. It's very likely that it's in my DNA. I credit my Italian heritage for it, since my ancestry traces back through some of Italy's most noted artistic communities, primarily Florence, Tuscany, and Naples. Obsessed with capturing the beauty of nature from an early age, I loved drawing, painting, and creating books about birds, flowers, and animals as a child. Encouraged by my parents and teachers, I expanded my skills over time, setting my sights on a career in publication design. A defining moment in my life came in the form of...more