"Coliseum" Painting

Paulette Licitra is a self-taught artist whose love for painting began about 12 years ago, though her passion for art started much earlier. Growing up in New York City, her parents nurtured her curiosity, taking her to museums and filling the shelves with art books. Creativity ran in her family: her mother painted, and her uncle, who studied under Yasuo Kuniyoshi at the Art Students League, were both early mentors. Before fully diving into painting, Paulette worked in theater, film, and television, and later wrote audio tour scripts for museum exhibitions across the country. Her first paintings were inspired by many trips to Italy—a country that quickly became her muse. Over time, her canvases were filled with Italian landscapes, monuments, and the timeless beauty she discovered there. More recently, culinary themes have begun to appear, reflecting another deep passion of hers. Paulette is also an Italian chef, and her art has begun to meet her love of cooking and dining. Each painting tells a story, capturing not just food on a plate, but the atmosphere, emotion, and joy that surround it. Her work invites viewers to savor both the visuals and the feeling of the moment, blending her love of art and food with warmth, delight, and a touch of Italian spirit.