We’re excited to welcome Melissa Mastrangelo back into the arena for ART WARS 2026: Valentine’s Day Edition! A South Florida–based artist originally from Upstate New York, Melissa brings bold tropical energy to every canvas, inspired by ocean life, rolling waves, and island vibes. With a BFA from Coastal Carolina University and a lifelong passion for painting, her work has appeared in galleries, cafés, breweries, and private collections throughout the region—often on unique surfaces like surfboards and decks. A scuba diver, paddleboarder, and founder of Mobile Masterpieces Paint & Sip, Melissa returns ready to paint live, unleash vibrant color, and bring the heat back to the battlefield!

We’re thrilled to welcome Valentina Morales to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! A self-taught Colombian artist now based in sunny Florida, Valentina is known for her vibrant, nature-powered acrylic paintings that fuse animals, flowers, mandalas, and geometric patterns into one bold, colorful visual language. A longtime favorite at the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival since 2012, she brings sidewalks—and now canvases—to life with electric color and organic energy. Inspired by the beauty and rhythm of nature, Valentina is stepping into the Art Wars arena ready to create live, unleash her signature vibrancy, and light up the battlefield with color and soul!

We’re thrilled to welcome Nicole Galluccio back into the arena for the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! A powerhouse South Florida artist, Nicole is known for her bold, layered pop-art style and instantly recognizable visual voice. Her work explodes with color, pattern, and energy—blending retro nostalgia with contemporary edge to transform everyday imagery into vibrant, unforgettable stories. Featured in galleries, public spaces, and exhibitions throughout South Florida, Nicole returns ready to paint live and unleash her electric creativity once again on the Art Wars battlefield!

We’re thrilled to welcome Steph into the arena for the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! Born and raised in West Palm Beach, Steph is a powerhouse creative with a BFA in Studio Art (Photography) from FAU and currently serves as a K–12 art teacher for the School District of Palm Beach County. Her artistic footprint spans all of South Florida, with features at The Box Gallery, Lake Worth Street Painting Festival (7 years strong), FDOT Traffic Box Wraps, Howley’s, Hatch 1121, PBAU, The Boca Museum, The South Florida Fair, and countless galleries, murals, and public art projects throughout the region. With deep community roots and serious creative fire, Steph returns ready to paint live and bring experience, passion, and bold energy back to the Art Wars battlefield!

We’re thrilled to welcome Allison Ragle to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! A Florida-based artist and passionate conservationist, Allison blends art and science into powerful visual storytelling inspired by her work as a field scientist. Drawing from real-world encounters with wildlife and nature, her art celebrates the beauty of our planet while highlighting its fragility and the importance of conservation. Now stepping into the live battle arena, Allison is ready to create, compete, and bring purpose-driven creativity to the Art Wars battlefield!

We’re thrilled to welcome Bryan Engler back to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026—this time returning to defend his crown! A contemporary artist fueled by Neo-Expressionist force, abstract spontaneity, and raw street energy, Bryan brings a fearless visual language shaped by his background as a tattoo artist. His work explodes with bold gesture, intense color, and layered urban grit—where instinct, texture, and emotion collide in controlled chaos. Blending tattoo precision with street-art bravado, Bryan transforms canvas into a battleground of memory, rhythm, and pure creative fire—and now he’s stepping back into the arena, brush in hand, ready to battle live once again!

We’re thrilled to welcome Alejandra Palacios to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! Born in Mexico City and now based in Hollywood, Florida, Alejandra brings a powerful fusion of architecture, fine art, and digital design to the arena. With a background spanning oil painting, art history, architecture, 3D drafting, and animation, her work balances technical precision with rich artistic imagination. From professional architectural visualization and major restoration projects to exhibitions and awards across Florida and Mexico, Alejandra now steps into the live Art Wars battlefield—ready to transform structure, form, and creativity into an unforgettable painting experience!

We’re excited to welcome Sasha Bass to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! Sasha’s conceptual work explores the human condition through animal vessels—most notably the ewe, representing her personal experience, and rats, symbolizing shared human struggle and collective identity. Drawn to metal casting, especially iron, she embraces rust, decay, and transformation as metaphors for the evolving body and soul. Now Sasha brings this powerful, thought-provoking practice into the live Art Wars arena!

We’re thrilled to welcome Alyssa Plaza to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! Chicago-born and South Florida–made, Alyssa is a visually impaired acrylic artist who creates every piece live from a true blank canvas—sketching on-site and building her work layer by layer in real time. Her process is raw, fearless, and driven by pure focus and adrenaline, and now she’s ready to bring that powerful energy to the Art Wars courtyard!

We’re excited to welcome Raquelle DeCicco to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! Working in acrylic and mixed media, Raquelle leads with color—using bright, uplifting palettes and paint-built, collage-like compositions that radiate energy and emotion. Drawing from realism, surrealism, pop art, and traditional techniques, her work lives between the familiar and the imagined, inviting viewers to feel before they fully understand. Now Raquelle brings her bold visual language, playful forms, and emotional resonance into the live Art Wars arena—ready to create an unforgettable experience in real time!

We’re excited to welcome Olexandra Lisin to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! Originally from Ukraine and now based in Boca Raton, Florida, Olexandra is both a practicing artist and dedicated art educator with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts and over a decade of teaching experience. Deeply inspired by flowers—especially peonies, roses, and magnolias—her paintings are rooted in memory, emotion, and the beauty of everyday life, often recalling her mother’s garden and childhood moments. Influenced by Impressionist masters like Claude Monet, Olexandra now steps into the Art Wars arena ready to share her passion, storytelling, and love of beauty live before the crowd!

We’re thrilled to welcome Gaby LaRosa to the Valentine’s Day Edition of ART WARS 2026! A SCAD-trained visual artist, Gaby creates powerful, expressive paintings that explore identity, feminism, immigration, and socio-political narratives through bold color, symbolism, and layered storytelling. Her work has been exhibited nationwide—from San Francisco to Wynwood—and is held in major institutional and private collections, including SCAD and the Woodruff Arts Center. After returning fully to her fine art practice, Gaby now steps into the Art Wars arena ready to paint live, fuse intellect with emotion, and bring fearless, thought-provoking energy to the battlefield!