Gina’s life was laced with some challenges and tough times while growing up. Her mom was diagnosed with schizophrenia and now suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Her father was in prison and never around. Gina’s older brother was born with cerebral palsy and struggled just being a kid. Financially challenged, Gina’s family would often move looking for a cheaper place to live and this made it difficult for her to attend school. Sometimes when her environment became troubling or she was engulfed with emotional feelings, Gina would venture off into the world of imagination and relish in the creation of art. This was the one constant that brought her joy, comfort and a sense of purpose. Her passion for art and determination to implement positive change within her and others would often convert a bad day into a good one. On a warm summer day when Gina was seven, her older brother was sitting on a patch of grass and couldn’t run and play with his friends do to his disability. He felt sad and disconnected. Looking into her brother’s big brown tootsie roll eyes, Gina’s creativity danced around in her head and the thirst to remedy the situation and make her brother happy stimulated her imagination. She picked branches from a nearby plum tree and began making a Bow N’ Arrow in which her and her brother worked diligently to create with shoe string laces and crayons. Suddenly, before they knew it, the neighborhood kids gathered around with curiosity and wanted to participate in the fun. For Gina, the thrill of climbing the plum tree ,being creative  and helping the kids brought her pleasure and instant gratification. For her brother, it was feeling equal with the other kids and winning the Bow N’ Arrow contest!

Dropping out of school in 9th grade, Gina received her GED and graduated from  UOP with a BSBM. Gina works part time in the medical field helping patients and spends the rest of her time following her dreams in her art studio. As a self taught artist, Gina continues to learn and explore the many facets of the art arena. Her motto is that anything is possible! Gina has taken her life experiences and passion to make a difference in the world by reaching out and connecting with people through her teachings of art and the design and development of collaborated public abstract sculptures. This has brought self efficacy, hope and unity within our children and in our communities while forming human connections and strengthening relationships. Gina’s desire to create with recycled metal and fused glass not only educates our youth to “think green” but also inspires people to transform “someone else’s junk into someone else’s treasure.”

Gina’s vision and quest in life is to help people express their feelings, build confidence, discover their self worth, and
establish a sense value and purpose through the creation and magical journey of art!