Messina was born in Pomona, California in 1975.  She currently attends the University of La Verne with an anticipated graduation session of spring 2015.  She lives in Pomona with her husband and three children.  This environment provides Messina exponential grow - through her connections with family from past and present.  She continues to create art and uses a variety of mediums such as painting, photography and sculpture.  Sculpture is Messina's current focus, particularly with found objects, usually sticks.  Her influence comes from the emotional pockets kept in her memory and the works of Patrick Dougherty.  Messina is profoundly inspired by nature and it's connection with human beings.  She continues to find ways of expressing a cohesive visual language mapping the two together.