During our last visit to New York, we were lucky enough to meet Serena. We wanted to capture our pieces in the city that never sleeps, and Serena, a friend of a friend, generously offered to model with our jewelry. As is often the case in a photoshoot, spending the day with new people is a mix of the professional and the unpredictable. The question is always whether the encounter will be just a moment or if it will turn into something more. With Serena, it was an instant match. Between shots, the conversation flowed naturally, and to my surprise, I discovered her incredible artwork, which I immediately connected with. Today, Serena invites us into her artistic universe, sharing a piece of her creative world from her studio, a space where stories come to life through every stroke and detail. And I only want to share it with you. Thank you, Serena, for opening the doors to your universe and heart.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you became an artist?
S: I’m a New York-born and based figurative artist. I was fortunate to grow up immersed in art—my dad, a painter, and my mom, a curator. I was surrounded by creativity in a city full of liveliness. As an only child, I spent a lot of my childhood drawing for entertainment, which helped me expand my imagination. I became obsessed with drawing people, giving them specific outfits, hairstyles, and different backstories, which is quite similar to what excites me about my practice today.
What do you find most fulfilling about your art practice?
S: What I find most exciting is the narrative aspect of painting. While replicating someone’s likeness is enjoyable, it’s the storytelling that truly inspires me. Small details, like pearls falling off a string, feathers sticking to hair, or a book annotated with lip liner, really bring the story to life for me. Most of my work captures “in-between” moments, and I focus on depicting the transition from girl to woman—juxtaposing elements like playful with elegant, silly with serious, and undone with buttoned-up.
How do past eras influence your work?
S: I’m a very nostalgic person, especially when it comes to the art and fashion of past eras. I love incorporating vintage pieces from the ‘60s and ‘70s for my models or using antiques to give my work a timeless ambiance. It’s about blending the past with the present and capturing something that feels eternal.
When did you realize that painting would be your career?
S: I always dreamed of being a painter, but it wasn’t until the last few years that it started to manifest. During lockdown, I bought a bunch of canvases and decided to test if I was truly cut out for it. I had once asked my dad how he knew he wanted to pursue painting full-time, and he said something like, “because I couldn’t not.” For months, I worked other jobs while familiarizing myself with the practice, hoping to feel that same passionate need for painting. Eventually, it became a routine to wake up and go straight to my canvas. Five years later, I can’t go more than a day without painting—it’s become a part of me.
What do you value most about your career?
S: The thing I value most is the patience it has taught me. In a world of digital immediacy and constant overconsumption, painting requires you to slow down. You spend hours, even days, focused on the same image, analyzing every hue, texture, and detail. It’s helped me become a better observer and absorber of the world around me.
What brings you the most joy in your work?
S: The rare joy of bringing something tangible into the world that comes from my mind and hands is incredibly fulfilling. It’s something that could potentially last forever, wherever it may go. That’s why I find seeing historic artworks in person so moving—you can feel the artist’s presence in each brushstroke, as if their hand has left a lasting mark on time, eternal. That’s why I cherish my Mosquito jewels ( my favorites as the Paloma necklace or the Meron necklace) , too. In each piece, I see the careful craftsmanship behind every precisely-strung stone and feel the texture and weight of materials that carry their own origins and history.
