Saundra Beretta was born in Berkeley, California. An interest in drawing and painting began in childhood and developed through her teenage years. In 1967, she entered the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California, to study illustration and painting. She spent the next several years developing her own techniques and interpretive style. In 1970, she began to publicly exhibit her work in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1990, Saundra relocated from San Francisco, California, to Incline Village, Nevada, to explore the visual impressions and the unique energy the Lake Tahoe area has to offer. The transition resulted in a conscious focus to dedicate more time to painting and the inspiration to develop entirely new concepts of expression in a variety of different media. Mediums include oils and acrylics on canvas and hard board surfaces, dry pastel on paper, watercolor on paper, graphite and ink on paper and board, and oil paint on metal or wood furniture (functional art!). She recreates her visual experiences, real and imagined, with detailed impressions of landscapes, florals, figures, and moments in time. She is also a Reiki Master and Teacher.  Her training and experience in this ancient healing technique is visually apparent in many of her creations, particularly the large floral paintings and pastels.