Cristina was born in Ravenna, Italy where she completed her studies in an arts-focused high school. Before emigrating to Canada in 1988, Cristina worked in Turin painting Limoges porcelain for a small company. She also painted and sold her own creations on fabrics, wood, and glass. She has returned to her passion for art and painting since retiring in December of 2021 from her family’s restaurant business. She enjoys painting with watercolour and oils.