I was born in Corigliano Calabro, a town in Calabria rich in the colors and scents of the land. I am the fifth of eleven children. As a young girl, I joined my sister in Pavia, and here I decided to settle.
I carry with me the scents, colors, and atmospheres of Calabria, which are reflected, without my full awareness, in my works.
At the end of 2013, I met a 27-year-old Syrian girl who lived in the same building as me with her two young children and husband; I had never seen her in so many years until one day, loneliness forced her to seek the comfort of another woman.
Gradually, I managed to enter her world, and so, when she showed me a drawing depicting two broken wings, a metaphor for her existence, I thought that by getting closer to her through painting, even without any artistic skills, I could alleviate her profound loneliness.
From there, at the age of 53, my journey as a self-taught painter began.
I instinctively loved this wonderful world made of colors, imagination, and creativity.
Caring for Fatima was caring for my spirit and my body, and as I painted, profound thoughts arose within me, along with a great awareness that my inner world emerged in every painting of mine.
At the same time, I was thrilled because people remained incredulous and amazed when observing my paintings.
One day, while researching the world of painting, I became fascinated by the works of a well-known American artist, Mark Carder. So, I began studying his technique and decided to contact him via email. I was truly surprised by his response: he asked me to send him more photographs of my paintings, and thus began a dense correspondence that led me to the United States where, on several occasions, he invited me to stay to further my career.
Upon my return to Italy, I immersed myself in painting to unleash my desire to express myself.
I have received numerous awards, but some I hold particularly dear:
