Born in Peru in 1957, Monica immigrated to Canada in 1976, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science and Master's in Landscape Architecture. She also has an Advanced Painting Certificate from Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Monica's distinctive style of textural painting, in which she applies thick layers of acrylic paint and medium with palette knives, results in a 3-D effect, suggesting organic energy, flow and movement. At the same time, she uses multiple glazes of colour to produce contrast and harmony, creating lightness, fluidity, and ephemeral atmospheric effects. She is drawn to the extraordinary in the ordinary, capturing the feeling and emotion on canvas, reflected in her luminous layers and enticing textures. Using her scientific and artistic backgrounds, she uses her art to message key environmental issues such as climate change to invite dialogue and discussion.

Eliminating recognizable details in her work, Monica explores the texture of metal patinas, the patterns of light as it reflects across the water and the radiance of both calm and stormy skies. Ethereal and luminous landscapes evoke both the visceral and tactile senses, while expansive skies elicit a sense of mood and ever-present calm, leaving space for herself and the viewer to wonder, imagine and dream.

Monica is represented year-round by Ukama Gallery in Vancouver, Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art on Vancouver Island and internationally by Singulart.

She has received many international awards and featured in interviews and press releases. Her paintings have been exhibited at numerous galleries in British Columbia and in Washington. Her artwork can be found in private and public collections in Canada, US and worldwide.