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, and when I was a child, I dreamed it would be my life's work. At one point, I pursued acting and music, but I wasn't confident enough in my performance skills and so I turned to another interest, helping others, and became a social worker. I counseled battered women and the homeless-mentally ill. I was dedicated to my work, and good at it, but still felt the pull to explore my creative talents.

In 1998, I had the chance to live for 6 months in Cortona, Italy with my husband Marty Sereno, a professor of neuroscience. During that time in Italy, I taught myself to paint. I travelled frequently to Florence and Rome to view the great paintings of the Renaissance, and experimented alot (no TV!) with what I was painting. What I produced during that period was mostly pretty awful, but I made progress, and developed a style of my own.

These days, I paint, and exhibit my work when I can. When I'm not painting, I enjoy singing, and have been learning to play the violin. I still find fulfillment in working with social and political groups, and since our move to London, I've been volunteering to help the homeless at St. Martin in the Field's Connection Program. They offer weekly art classes to participants, and the chance to exhibit their work.

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.