Lorraine Manzo Angeletti
Lorraine Manzo Angeletti is an accomplished author, award-winning educator, and multidisciplinary artist based in Middle Island, New York. She is the co-author of the international bestselling book Unbreakable Spirit: 18 Stories of Feminine Resilience, Blessings and Renewal, and her short stories have been featured in publications such as Dan’s Papers and ACES Magazine. Lorraine’s work explores the intersection of body, mind, and spirit, reflecting her commitment to fostering creativity, resilience, and personal growth through art and storytelling.
With more than 25 years of teaching experience, Lorraine has guided students of all ages—from preschoolers to adults—through the creative process, helping them develop confidence and find their own artistic voices. She has taught at institutions including Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Spokane Art School, and she has served as a professional development coordinator for the Suffolk County Art Leaders Association. Lorraine’s teaching philosophy emphasizes experiential learning, combining fine art, mindfulness, yoga, guided meditation, and neurographic art to empower students both personally and artistically.
Beyond her classroom work, Lorraine continues to expand her creative practice through writing, public workshops, and art therapy initiatives. She has been selected for prestigious programs such as the NYSCA/NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp, JumpstART in Riverhead, and the Mackinac Island Writing Retreat. Currently, she is developing workshops that integrate writing, meditation, and neurographic art, and she is working on a family memoir celebrating the resilience of three generations of Italian-American women. Lorraine’s dedication to creativity, education, and wellness continues to inspire her students, colleagues, and readers alike.
• Stony Brook University - M.A.L.S.
• SPARK Award
• NYSCA/NYFA Artist
• A Writing Room Collective
• National Association of Memoir Writers
• Shut Up and Write
• Suffolk County Art Leaders Association
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to always finding a way to continue despite whatever obstacles are in the way. I've been very resourceful, perseverant, and resilient over the years. I was divorced when my daughter was young, and I went back to college to become an art teacher later in life. I had a successful career as an art teacher and got myself and my daughter master's degrees during that time. I've accomplished a lot by being open to all possibilities and thinking that I can do it and I will figure out a way. When the opportunity for co-authoring that book about blessings and renewal and resilience came along, I thought, yeah, that's my story right there. That's really what it's about.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from a friend who had gone back to college to become a psychologist. When I was nervous about going back to school because I hadn't been to college in 20 years, I told her I was worried because I would be older. She said, 'Lorraine, go back to school and become a teacher. Become an art teacher, you will be so great at it.' When I said I'd be older, she said, 'So what, you'll be older, and you won't have a degree.' That was the best advice ever because it really changed my life at that time. I was able to get my career as an art teacher, I was able to buy my own home. Everything changed because my friend told me, hey, you know, you're going to be older anyways, you might as well have a career that you're gonna love. I always credit her with that. Probably if she didn't tell me that, I would have talked myself out of it.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I have always wanted to be of service to others, to inspire them, to lead by example. I want to say, hey, look, I've used these methods, I'm gonna share that with you. I'm gonna teach you what I know and see if that will help you to flourish the way it helped me. So being of service and inspiring others, I would say, is probably overall my approach to life. I'm also a lifelong learner, so not only am I an educator, but I'm always learning. Whenever I need to work on anything, I will figure out where's the next class that I can sign up for. I think a lot of times adults kind of get stuck in their own way. When I teach these workshops, people say, oh, I'm no good in art, nobody in my family's good in art. That's not really true, you can always learn.
Locations
Just Kids Early Childhood Learning Center
Middle Island, NY 11953