My love of the Renaissance began as a young child drawing expanded Renaissance portraits viewed in books checked out from the public library. I was fortunate as an Arts/Educator major in college to study during my senior year in Rome, Milan and Florence, Italy. Seeing many art works close up and personal of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Donatello, Leonardo to name a few, left a lasting impression on the contributions these artists and others made to civilization. 

My mask is an interpretation of Leonardo's, Mona Lisa, Lisa Gherardini; she was the wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant. The original Mona Lisa portrait is often called "La Gioconda." The original portrait of Mona Lisa is considered to be the most famous of all portraits. My interpretation of the Mona Lisa is a nod of appreciation to the incredible talents of the great Leonardo da Vinci.