A little background info...

Paula DeMarta Mastroianni is a totally self-taught published artist and writer. She honed her writing skills during 32 stupefyingly boring years when she worked as a secretary/administrative assistant, writing hundreds, if not thousands, of letters and stories whenever her employers were away from the office (ANYTHING to break the monotony and frustration.)

Early in life, she also displayed an amazing ability to draw, but was never given proper guidance and direction, and did not pursue it until later in life.

In 1980, her unique style caught the eye of Paramount Greeting Cards, at which time the company hired her on a freelance basis and released a plethora of various lines of her exclusive designs for the next five years.

Commissioned in 1983 by the NYC Department of Sanitation, Paula designed an anti-litter poster, widely distributed throughout the city's school system. The poster was also prominently featured as a background prop on the hit television show "Head of the Class" during the final three years of its run. She also designed a man's tie for the DSNY, depicting an apple on a garbage can.

Her work has lent itself to a line of children's t-shirts, customized logos for organizations (National Kidney Foundation of NY/NJ) and numerous businesses, as well as consumer catalogue merchandise. Paula's deep love of animals led her to contribute pro-bono artwork for PETA, the late Cleveland Amory's "The Fund For Animals," and other animal rescue groups, all of which hold her work in high regard.

For several years, Paula wrote a weekly column--"Letter From Belmont"--for a small Bronx newspaper, in addition to doing editorial cartoons for the former; in addition, she contributed editorial cartoons to the Bronx Press Review.

She was commissioned by the (now-defunct) Belmont Italian-American Playhouse to design a series of post cards depicting the famous Belmont neighborhood of yesteryear--an appropriate choice, since Paula was born and raised in the Belmont section of the Bronx, and will forever consider it "home." That can be attested to by her 2002 published book, "Little Italy Of The Bronx/Belmont & Arthur Avenue," co-authored with "Back In The Bronx" publisher and friend, Steve Samtur.

Paula works from her home studio, assisted by her five cats. She considers them “The best co-workers I’ve ever had!”

(Most of the above-mentioned work can be viewed in either the STUDIO or WRITER'S NOOK section of this website. Thank you!)