Maria was born in the small town of Penola in South Australia on the 2nd of Oct. 1959 at 5.15 pm. Her Parents Tommaso (who passed away in 2000) and Anita are both from a town in Italia, called Carpineto Romano in the province of Lazio.

Maria is the eldest of three, with a sister Nunzia and a brother Angelo. Her family are very Catholic. Nunzia is short for Anunzziata which mean annunciation. Angelo is short for Arcangelo which is the archangel. She's not sure which one. She refers to herself and her siblings as the holy triptich and one day plans to paint a painting called the The Annunciation of the Virgine Maria by the Archangel.

Maria spent the first 5 years of her life in Coonawarra - capital of the wine growing area of the South-east of South Australia. She always swoons when she sees the “Wynnes Coonawarra Red” label, the white label with the winery in the background and the rows of grape vines in front. That's where her family worked and she played in those first formative years of her life.

Her family moved to Mt Gambier just before Maria began primary school, and stayed till she was 17. She was one of the very first Italian kids to venture away from home. Nunzia always said that Maria paved the way and others followed.

Rural Australia was a tough place for an individualistic Italian female. Her family eventually all left Mt Gambier and now all that remains are memories. What is most poignant is a sense of connection to the spirit of the aboriginal ancestors of the place. She realised later that, through her tumultuous adolescent years in Mt Gambier, what kept her safe was this strong sense of connection which at the time was her refuge. She realises now that this was the source and beginning of her interest and understanding of indigenous world cultures. These cultures express themselves in dance, and all dance is of the same origin.

Maria moved to Warrnambool in the Western Distinct of Victoria, to study art and design. Warrnambool is also where she began her Life Modelling career. She married, divorced and 10 years later, with her two small children, Robert and Claudia, now in their teens, came to settle in Melbourne, Victoria. Melbourne is where she found her tribe of like minded people and where her rich and abundant life began to truly unfold.

Maria has always loved to create. As a child she was forever busy with her hands making things, drawing, painting, crocheting, sewing, dancing and singing. Over the years she has developed her many skills and talents and created an artistically rich and rewarding lifestyle as a visual and performing artist, life model, writer and healer