Living in the heart of the Finger Lakes in New York is what has set the stage for Valentina to capture the beauty of the area through oil painting. After High School she took drawing and painting classes at a local College. Longing to learn more took her to Pat Rini Rohrer in Canandaigua NY where she studied for many years and attended her first Plein Air class. Plein air is a French term meaning “in the open air” which is painting landscape paintings outside in one session. Valentina realized how Plein Air allowed her to see the real colors of nature in shadows. She has attended many Plein Air competitions and has received many awards.