E d u c a t i o n

University of California, San Diego:
B.A., Sociology, 1991.

San Diego State University:
M.A., Social Work, 1994.

Art Education:
Self-taught

S t a t e m e n t

I've always had a passion for the arts. When I was a child, I hoped it would be my life's work. I spent hours playing music, and drawing with my siblings. There were musicians and painters in my family, and I wanted to be like them. As an adult, I pursued theatre and music, but lacked the necessary boldness you needed to succeed on stage. So, I turned to another passion, social work and counseling. I worked with battered women and later with the homeless. I was dedicated to my work, but still felt the strong call of my creative talents.

In 1998, I had the chance to live in Cortona, Italy for six months, with my husband Marty Sereno, a professor of neuroscience. During that time, I decided I would teach myself to paint. I paid close attention to the remarkable art around me, and traveled frequently to the museums and cathedrals of Florence and Rome. Back in our apartment, I would experiment with color and form, and by the end of our stay, a painting style of my own had begun to emerge.

These days, I paint and exhibit my work wherever I can. My artwork is now a part of many private and public collections in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Small Image Show, Gallery 21, San Diego, 2/00

Mural, The U.N. Assoc., Balboa Park, San Diego, "Esperanza por la Paz", 1999.

Mural, The UN Assoc., Balboa Park, San Diego,"The Children's Mural: Peace Through Education", 10/00. (Featured in the Winter 2001 issue of the L.A. Mural Conservancy's journal on new murals of California).

Gargoyle Gallery, San Diego,
Two-person show, 11/00.

ArtWalk, Refrigerator Project, San Diego, 4/01.

A Hunger Artist Gallery, New Mexico,
"Psychologically Charged," 8/01.

San Diego Children's Museum, Solo show,
"Faces of Humanity," 10/01 through 1/02.

Ray Street - Gallery 999, Solo show,
"Recent Work," 2/02 through 3/02.

Sushi Gallery - Group Show
"Life Stage", July 26-28, 2002

World Beat Center, Activist San Diego Exhibit,
July 12, 2003

Galleri Urbane, Silver City, New Mexico
July 25-Aug 25, 2003, Group Show.

La Voz Alta, San Diego, Aug. 30 - Oct. 15. 2003, "Arabs Anonymous", Group show.

Espresso Mi Cultura, Hollywood, CA.
Group Show, Nov. - Dec. 2003.

Self-help Gallery, East Los Angeles, "Mujeres de Juarez" Group Show April 13 - May 9, 2004.

Galleri Urbane, Silver City, New Mexico,
July 30 -Aug. 21, 2004, Women's Show.

Hispanic Museum of Nevada , "Mujeres de Juarez," Group Show, Aug. 12 - Sep. 15, 2004

ARK Playhouse, San Diego, "Parallel Visions", Group Show, in conjunction with "Remains," a play centered on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
Sept.9 - Oct. 3, 2004.

Jadite Gallery, N.Y., N.Y., "Convergencia," A Group Exhibit, Feb. 3 - 28, 2005

Bard Hall Gallery, San Diego, CA. "Remembering the War in Iraq," March 2 - 31, 2005, Two-Person show

Expressions of Mexico Gallery "Frida y el Mictlan,"
Paintings by Claudia Fernety, Mirto Golino,
Yolanda Romero and Lupita Shahbazi.
October 15, 2005 - December, 2005. San Diego CA

Encantada Fine Art Gallery
Some of my current work is on display (2006)
904 Valencia St. San Francisco, 94110

Bread & Cie, San Diego, CA, "War and the Circus" June 28 - July 28, 2006. Solo Show.