Paul D. Ciuppa  was born in September 1953 in a small town, Lodi, New Jersey where he took to art as soon as he was able to hold a crayon. Throughout his childhood, Paul developed an appreciation for his majestic surroundings. He would often sit for hours with pencil and pad, or sit in a meadow with watercolor and canvas. Years of artistic expression made it clear that Paul's life would be centered upon his passion for art. Paul attended Ridgewood Art Academy where he improved upon his still life techniques.