Artist Paola Ruggiero paints expressive portraits of women, blending bold colors and dynamic brushwork with refined detail. “My art is a meeting between the figurative and the abstract—I try to represent through symbolic abstractions what words cannot express, focusing on the universal emotions that unite us all," says Paola. Born into an artistic family in Salerno, Italy, Paola grew up surrounded by the scent of linseed oil and turpentine, watching her father and grandfather bring paintings and nativity scenes to life. Though she first studied restoration, her artistic journey took shape after training with Italian fresco artist Elvio Marchionni. She later opened her own studio in Assisi, where she developed her distinctive style. Now working from a studio near Lake Bracciano, surrounded by greenery and flooded with natural light, Paola paints to a soundtrack that ranges from classical to contemporary. When she’s not in the studio, she enjoys exploring ancient villages, dining in traditional restaurants, and walking through the historic streets of Rome.