Breaking Beautiful was my first organized effort to advocate for myself and other women. Throughout girlhood, I had received the message that beauty should look a certain way from the media and society. My hair, my body, my skin were all an affront to this standardized definition. As I looked around my college campus, I saw a world of beauty to be celebrated. My intention with this portrait series was to reclaim our power as women to define beauty for ourselves and to give voice to the uniqueness of each individual.

When in April of 2011 I lost my mother to breast cancer, I also lost my way. Perseverance and a never give up attitude is certainly something I learned from my Italian American upbringing as well as a love of writing, reading books and the arts. Navigating the grieving process, I turned to writing as a healing tool. I started simply. I would wake in the morning and read from a book that resonated with me.

I am inspired by nature and energy. I want to know why things happen. I am very curious. In a way, my art documents that. I also consider art my platform to communicate about important issues. I love that I can use art to inspire others. It allows me to show viewers a perspective they may not have otherwise considered. In a world where everyone is seeking change, I believe the pivotal role of the artist is to be a messenger of the many perspectives people have.