Bio
I am a bilingual artist, designer, and art director.
I am a Minnesota native who has spent over ten years working with people from the Latinx/Latin American communities in the U.S. and South America. I also have over 6 years of experience helping clients and stakeholders create visual expressions of their identities.
Some of the companies and organizations I have worked with over the years include: (in Minnesota) Casa Guadalupe Multicultural Community, South High School in Minneapolis, Centro Tyrone Guzman, The Minnesota Children's Museum, Pearson VUE, (and in Chile) Liceo Técnico de Valparaíso, Cerámicas Cordillera, and the Dirección de Desarrollo Cultural de la Ilustre Municipalidad de Valparaíso. I would love to work with you too!
Vision
I support businesses and organizations in connecting authentically with the communities they serve, through good design.
Background
Artist, Designer, and Art Director,
2012 - Present
Bilingual Podcaster, Beyond the Wall - Más Allá del Muro, 2021 - Present
ESL Teacher/Coach for Spanish Speakers, 2012 - 2016, 2019 - Present
Bilingual (Spanish) Customer Service Representative/Program Coordinator, Pearson VUE, 2017 - 2018
College of Saint Benedict, 2008-2012
- BA Studio Art and Spanish
- Magna Cum Laude
- Outstanding Thesis Award
- Inspire a Shared Vision Leadership Award
Expertise
- Collaborative Design Brainstorming
- Branding & Visual Communication
- Creative Project Management
- Content Visualization & Execution
- Murals
- Digital Illustration
- Photography
- Typography
- Writing/Copywriting
- Marketing
- Bilingual: Spanish + English
- Translation/Interpreting
- Latinx/Latin American Culture
work
Brand Identity
From 2012-2014 I worked with a Chilean start-up, PlayLandis. During this time, I co-created an approachable, fun and playful brand identity and logo for their B2B company. We agreed on a three-color scheme and bold, modern shapes as the key elements. I designed a pamphlet, created the graphics, and wrote the copy in both the English and Spanish versions. I also designed the storyboard and graphics for the company video.
PlayLandis pamphlet graphics and copy, English and Spanish versions.
Murals
As a muralist, I help communities create unique visual designs to celebrate their collective identities. In both the design and production processes, I act as liaison between the community stakeholders and the mural production team. Community murals require excellent communication and project management skills.
Cold Spring Mural, 2011
Cold Spring, Minnesota
For this mural, I partnered with NGO Casa Guadalupe Multicultural Community to organize a mural and youth art workshops. I interviewed town residents in English and Spanish to create a culturally inclusive mural design representing Cold Spring history, in particular highlighting both the German and Latin American ancestry and culture. I recruited painting volunteers and directed a two-month collaborative painting process. I also wrote an Honors Thesis analyzing the social significance of the Cold Spring Mural with respect to research of muralism in Latinx/Latin American Culture.
Cold Spring Mural, 2011 (Details)
Detail of the two grandmothers representing both German and Latin American (primarily Mexican) heritage. There are many symbols in the mural; one of the most interesting is the intertwining of the grandmothers' hair, which represents unity through diversity and is a nod to the phenomenon of Venezuela's Orinoco and Caroni Rivers (idea from a community member from Venezuela) - the two colors come together yet remain distinct.
With my mentor in muralism, Gustavo Lira García, who is from Mexico and based in Minneapolis, MN.
A quote from Latinx civil rights activist Cesar Chavez - in English and Spanish:
"No podemos buscar el éxito sólo para nosotros mismos y olvidarnos del progreso y la prosperidad de nuestra comunidad."
"We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community."
~ Cesar Chavez
LTV Mosaic Mural, 2014-2016
Valparaíso, Chile
I collaborated with leadership at a local high school, the Liceo Técnico de Valparaíso (LTV), to create a mural design for a 430+ square foot mosaic mural on an exterior wall of a high school, based on conversations with students and community members. I also obtained financial support from the Municipal Government of the City of Valparaíso, Chile, as well as donations/discounts on materials from local hardware stores and Chilean companies. I inspired, taught, supervised and collaborated with paid artists, students, and volunteers during work sessions on the mural.
LTV Mosaic Mural, 2014-2016 (detail)
Valparaíso, Chile
Detail of the section of the hills of Valparaíso, with typical colorful houses and the Barón funicular. People march down from the hills to the main part of the city. Students lead the march with their "batucada" group (a type of percussion originally from Brazil). Famous Chileans Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral walk among the students and community. The indigenous Mapuche culture is represented in the 4-quadrant design of one of the drums, the cultrún.
LTV Mosaic Mural, 2014-2016 (detail)
Valparaíso, Chile
The sections of the mural representing healthy lifestyle (youth running through fields of grass with flowers and playing soccer), a rainbow, and the ocean. Youth kick the soccer ball into a net in the ocean, which is both a fishing net and a soccer net. Soccer is very popular in Chile, and fishing is very important for the city of Valparaíso (as well as other coastal cities in Chile).
LTV Mosaic Mural, 2014-2016 (detail)
Valparaíso, Chile
These sections of the mural represent the different careers that high school students at the Liceo Técnico can go into: food preparation, clothing design and fabrication, graphic design, nursing, and early childhood care/education.
Web Design
I helped a lawyer update her personal brand with the design of her website.
Logo Design
I have worked with clients from different industries to create unique and memorable logos for their businesses.
Studio Work
I have an eclectic personal style - I love working in a variety of media, and painting and mosaics are my specialties. Portraiture is one of my passions.
Photography
I use photography as both a means to collect artistic inspiration, as well as a tool for artistic expression. I am drawn to textures, color, and dramatic landscapes.
Part artistic training and part instinct - I know how to compose a compelling photo. And, even more important for collaborative projects, I know how to explain my vision to others in a way that they can easily understand. I can provide live feedback at photo shoots, as well as virtual guidance ahead of time, via sketched layouts, diagrams, examples of similar photos, etc.
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, 2021
Self-Portrait in Red, 2021.
Costa Rican saying, "Pura Vida."
Easter eggs with natural dyes.
A collection of ceramic objects (that I made myself) on a friend's wooden table in Santiago Chile, 2019.
Salamanca, Spain, 2019
Jewelry/ hand model
Backlighting
Macro
"la feria de valparaiso" Photo Shoot
Proud Chilean fruit vendors at the "Feria" (farmer's market) in Valparaíso show off their produce.
"Western" Photo Shoot
"Purple" Brownies Photo Shoot
This is an example of how I love to experiment and stretch boundaries. I'm not afraid to take risks and try something new or unconventional.
A while back I photographed some brownies that had pink and purple ingredients (beets and prunes). To highlight this color, I did the photo shoot with fuchsia flowers and petals.
I love playing with line, radial symmetry, contrasting colors, and close angles to add drama and emphasis.
Personal Design Work
Selected vector designs.
Sketchbook
Selected sketches - a combination of real life and imagination.
Tap into my creative mind for your next project! I have an abundance of ideas I would love to share with you!
Instagram Design
Beyond the Wall - Más Allá Del Muro - Bilingual Podcast on Muralism
Selected Instagram post designs.
Let's work together on making your Instagram feed bilingual and culturally aware!
Printed Product Design
I use my art to design my own print on demand products for Redbubble and Society6.
Most Recently...
In July 2022, I assisted artist Gustavo Lira García @gustavoliragarcia in painting his beautiful mural at La Única market, a Latin American grocery store near Lake Street in Minneapolis, MN. The mural honors Maria Sabina, a Mazatec curandera, shaman and poet from Mexico. It also celebrates our connection with the land. These photos are of the mural in progress.
Part of the mural team: artists Tierra @tierraxarts, Gustavo, and I getting silly during a break on a work day at the mural site.
I help companies build a clear and cohesive brand identity that connects with their audience on a deep level.
