August 18, 2025
Dear 9th Muse Academy of Art Friend,
Instead of sending you a traditional bio, I felt moved to write you a letter and share the story of how I became a professional artist. I’ve been thinking a lot about your own artistic journey as a 9th Muse Friend. How wonderful it is that you gather together to support each other on your creative adventures. The comfort of community!
My discovery of being an artist began with a desire for inner peace and financial security.
I grew up on a dairy farm, with no exposure to art until I was 22. That year, my husband took me and our one-year-old daughter to Italy. The Italian way of life is centered around art and the efforts of artists that have survived centuries because of love and respect. That experience opened my heart to the power of creating beauty in the world. I began making beautiful things with my hands and selling them, not only to make money, but to find peace. Creating became a powerful medicine. What joy and validation to make something that is both wanted and valuable!
At 30, a friend introduced me to fine art oil paints. In that moment, I found my soul. Remembering my time in Italy, I asked myself, “How could I make an oil painting look old?” From that question, Bella Rotta, Italian for “Beautifully Broken”, was born.
September 11, 2001, was devastating for so many, including my husband, who lost his corporate telecom career. For me, that became a turning point. I stepped forward with my new Bella Rotta paintings, and the message of finding peace within the pieces resonated deeply.
By 2004, I was represented in my first gallery in Scottsdale. Soon after came Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen, Santa Fe, Dallas, and Denver. Today, I continue to sell my work in galleries across the country, including Thomas Anthony Gallery in Park City.
Twenty years of creating and sharing Bella Rotta paintings has taught me countless lessons. The greatest of them is this: innovation is key! Not just to a healthy art career, but to a healthy life. The most powerful way to keep innovating over time is to understand The Creative Cycle and the power of being a CREATOR. This knowledge unlocks personal creativity and gives you your true artistic voice.
The Creative Cycle has four stages: Inspiration, Observation, Translation, and Distribution.
I would love to personally invite you to my workshop, Unlock Your Creativity, at 9th Muse Academy of Art on Thursday, September 11th, from 6–9 PM. Together, we’ll take a deep dive into the first stage, Inspiration, through an interactive experience I call Treasure Hunting.
I’m excited to meet you, and to hear about your own creative journey as an artist and creator.
Cheering you on,
Rolinda
P.S. I will be doing live painting demos at Thomas Anthony Gallery on September 12th and 13th. Come play with me in Park City!
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