About

“I explore nature’s vastness, simplicity, and fragility. These elements emit aesthetic sensations of harmony, expressions of timelessness, and feelings of inspiration that transcend space and time. The imagery of my work does not accurately represent nature; rather, I try to unveil an abstraction of its character to raise awareness for the preservation of our world.” 

My MetalScape paintings represent a dialogue between nature’s simplicity and expansiveness. Color and composition are reduced to a minimalist stillness so that form becomes the focus capturing infinite variations of quiet ethereal beauty. To understand how these paintings are created, see MetalScape,108 video.

Baroque series highlights the details in nature and are inspired by my Italian heritage. These paintings incorporate metalsmithing and the Neapolitan Baroque. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to exhibit these paintings alongside fellow Italian American artists  works.  Additionally, these paintings appear in the book Italianita, Contemporary Art Inspired by the Italian Immigrant Experience, written by Joanne Mattera.

Nature’s expansions and fragilities converge in my Lyre Series, where each painting is a meditation on symbiosis—the intricate dialogues between corals, algae, and the wider marine ecosystem. Through abstraction, I seek to translate biological partnerships into visual expressions of movement inviting viewers to explore below the surface to experience the delicate interdependence sustaining ocean life.

In the wild, reef-building corals and microscopic algae engage in a profound mutualism: algae supply up to 90% of a coral’s energy through photosynthesis, while corals provide protection and essential nutrients. This invisible partnership forms the foundation for vibrant reef ecosystems that nurture countless marine species. In my studio practice, I use encaustic and layers of gold and palladium leaf to evoke this intimacy—light and subtle color interweaving, coral forms emerging like silent vessels of energy and exchange.

The tactile richness and translucency of encaustic at ¼″ thickness creates a physical echo of a coral’s layering, its porous chambers mimicking algal colonization and nutrient flow. Embedded within are stenciled shapes of harp-shaped Lyre corals—symbols of beauty and vulnerability under mounting threats of ocean warming and acidification. The precious metals reflect light in unpredictable ways, alluding to the dynamic flux of marine ecosystems.

Over the past decade I have examined coral collapse and bleaching events from the Great Barrier Reef to the polar oceans. Lyre responds to these observations, incorporating both documentation and emotional witnessing. Thesepaintings serve as a visual archive of environmental trauma and hope: a shift toward restoration, resilience, and symbiotic adaptation.

While warming waters threaten reef structures, scientific advancements in assisted organism evolution, genetic resilience, and coral restoration are unfolding powerful narratives of ecological hope . The gilded evolving surfaces in my work reflect optimism—light penetrating layers, symbolizing scientific ingenuity and natural regeneration.

Through abstraction layered substance and etherealism, my goal is to illuminate the unseen—the cellular collaborations that underlie oceanic health—and evoke a visceral awareness of symbioses. These paintings are created to encourage a deeper viewing and understanding, prompting contemplation and care for coral ecosystems and our shared marine future.

By exploring symbiosis visually, I hope to bridge art and ecology—honoring the luminous dance between species beneath the oceans and inspiring a collective guardianship of our fragile blue planet.

For more than a decade I have been a member of Elemental, an exhibition group that exhibits in museums and universities whose mission  addresses the current environmental crisis within contemporary society.