Deena comes from a long line of artists starting with her great grandfather who escaped slavery in Russia by moving to Germany, then immigrated to Globe Colorado, United States. Deena’s great-grandfather carved beautiful wooden carousel horses and painted murals that can still be seen in downtown Denver. Her mother is a painter who defined her love for the arts. 

 Deena was born and raised in Las Cruces New Mexico, the Land of the Enchanted which highly influenced her color choices.  She served her country in the US Army and has an MFA from the Academy of Art University. She has shown her work around the US and in various galleries.