Mercedes, full name Maria Mercedes Cerboni Barreto, was born in Caracas Venezuela to a well known and well-to-do family. For reasons she did not quite understand she was sent from her peaceful and beautiful surroundings at the tender age of seven to live in a farm community, separated from her home and family for what was supposed to have been a year but which ended up extending to 16 years. She grew up and was homeschooled at that farm with her parents, brothers and grandmother coming to visit on Sundays. She subsequently lost contact with her extended family.

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Although Mercedes Never went to a “normal” school, she was home schooled, studied hard and tried to read as many books as possible to widen her horizons and as a way of remaining connected to the outside world which her imagination yearned. She took English, Italian, Art and Math private lessons and to this added piano, guitar and flute lessons, all inside the farm community.

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Black Sleeveless Top: Rebecca Taylor
Silk/Lycra Printed Pants: Just Cavalli
Earrings: Turquoise Dust from
Fabrizio Giannone
Rings: Round Turquoise Dust from Antigua, Nicaragua;
Diamonds on Gold – Heirloom
Shoes: Donald Pliner