Celia was born in the small mountain province of Saitamaken, Japan. Her childhood was a melding of Eastern and Western thought. From her mother's Eastern influence she gained a deep respect for simplicity and a reverence for nature. Her father's Western influence endowed her with an eye for detail and quality.

Along with my fascination for lizards, as a child I was equally enchanted with butterflies. In the tropical environments where I lived, there were a great variety of butterflies. I caught them with my bare hands, only to keep them long enough to admire and study them. Then I knew I had to release them so that they could share their beauty with others. We, like butterflies, can bring beauty into the lives of those around us. Let your beauty shine for all to see.