Born in Lima, Peru, Monica immigrated to Canada in 1976 where she obtained her Bachelor of Science and Masters in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning. She also holds both, a Fine Art and an Advance Painting Certificates from Emily Carr University of Art and Designs. She lives in Vancouver and has travelled extensively throughout the world studying different art forms.
Monica's energy and passion are expressed in her unique jewelry, mixed media paintings and abstract photographs. Her expressionistic, semi-abstract, highly textured mixed media paintings and jewelry draw primarily upon the natural environment and symbolism from ancient civilizations.
She applies paint with brush and palette knives to produce a 3-D effect suggesting organic energy flow and movement. The complex surface and depth in her paintings are created using layers of opaque and translucent acrylic gels, inks and natural materials such as sand, paper, fabric, glass, silver dust, and stone.
Her paintings and jewelry have been displayed at many galleries and high-end art shows including Museum of Northwest Art (MONA) in La Conner Washington; Lightcatcher Museum in Bellingham Washington; Royal BC Museum in Victoria; Spirit Gallery in West Vancouver; Ukama Gallery at Granville Island, Sooke Harbour House Gallery; The Gallery at Matticks Farm; The Kube Gallery in Fort Langley; Craft Council of BC Galleries at the Vancouver Airport; the Ferry Building Gallery; Sidney & Gertrude Zack Gallery; CityScape Community Art Space; Silk Purse Gallery; Britannia Mine Museum; Harmony Festival; Seymour Art Gallery, and "Loot" gallery in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
Her work is found in corporate and private collections throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Mexico, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan. Her art is also held in prestigious public institutions such as the Lions Gate and Vancouver General Hospitals and the Union Gospel in Vancouver.
Monica donates a percentage of her sales to the Brooke Foundation (UK) and the SPCA in Vancouver. She has donated artwork to the Children’s Heart Network Foundation, Vancouver General Hospital, Arts Umbrella, BC Cancer Society, Pacific Salmon Foundation, The Nature Trust of BC, Loving Spoonful, Vancouver Aquarium, among others.