—Roy Andersson, ‘Songs From the Second Floor’, 2000
Mariano Spina Novoa was born in Buenos Aires to Maria Del Carmen Novoa, homemaker and nurse, and Mario Antonio Spina, community leader and family doctor.
He has spent most of his life working as a self-taught graphic designer and printer while skateboarding the cultural circulatory systems of Argentina, Brasil, Uruguay and the United States.
At the turn of the century, digital media and animation caught his interest, expanding his knowledge into different areas, and strengthening his enthusiasm for the same creative process he continues to thrive on. His efforts in these fields led him to the US East Coast, where he worked for renowned brands; and eventually to the Pacific Northwest, where he first opened his studio, a design and print practice dedicated to arts and culture.
Melinda Matson Spina was born in the United States to Lan Phuong Matson, homemaker and Vietnamese immigrant, and Sigfred William Matson, US veteran and space launch systems chief engineer.
She grew up in environments ranging from the southernmost Arizona border and desert to the Panama Canal and rainforest. Since childhood, she has inclined toward artistry, habitat, and horticulture. Melinda worked in arts/exhibits and remodeling/landscaping for two decades from Northern CA and the Pacific Northwest, before returning to her elementary roots in Arizona. She is a life long writer and maker, emphasizing self reliance and grassroots stewardship.
Melinda and Mariano met in 2017. After a few weeks courtship, they decided to marry and began planning collaborative projects. They gave the combination of their personal and civic intent the name Casa Petra Vera, mixing etymologies in thier shorthand for a resolve to dwell by the veracity of stone.
-