Marlena Castillo Doherty, a native of Belize in Central America, who has called New Orleans her home since 1972, began her studies at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts in 1982, learning to draw and paint in oils. She has also studied with other well-known artists, such as Robert Guthrie, Terry Madden and June Lampe' from whom she learned to hone her skills in oil painting, methods of sculpture and watercolor. Her award-winning artwork has been exhibited in many shows statewide. Her art is influenced by her Caribbean culture, her Hispanic roots and her life in New Orleans, with its cultural diversity.