Today we’d like to introduce you to Carina Bañuelos-Harrison.
Carina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always been drawn to and creating art. I won my first art award in 1st grade for drawing a yellow flower. In elementary school, I had a teacher that was a former architect, and the way he integrated themes of architecture into art was amazing to me even at a young age. In college, I decided to major in Studio Art with an emphasis in photography. I learned to take photos, develop film in the darkroom while acquiring skills in digital photography. I’ve actively taken photos for more than 16 years as a freelance photographer and remain inspired behind the lens with the camera between my hands.
After working in education and the nonprofit world, I’ve more recently had the opportunity to work as one of the two staff members for Art in Public Places, Aurora. Working with local and regional artists while observing their creative process, has been a great experience. More importantly, I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with other Latinx artists and art leaders in not only Denver but also, the art communities in Las Vegas and New Mexico.
As a Latina artist working in the art community, I’ve witnessed firsthand the inequitable practices and lack of representation of marginalized communities and artists in public art and other spaces. By creating Art and Color, I hope to transform the dialogue and be an active change-maker to elevate the voices and work of underrepresented and much-needed visibility and intersectionality of Black/Indigenous/People of Color artists. Art and Color is currently in its early stages, but my goal is to advocate and champion the art contributions of our BIPOC in public art and other spaces where their voices/work has been absent.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would say the road has been a mixture of smooth and rough. As a working mom, I’ve always felt it’s been a juggling act, but if you stick to a routine and remember to have fun while keeping your focus, it always works out. I have found it very helpful to surround yourself with friends and family that support you and improve your journey.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am Founder, Curator, and Photographer for Art and Color. Most importantly, I am an advocate for artists that are part of marginalized communities, helping them exhibit their work in art spaces and other locations is a personal passion and commitment. What sets me apart from other Curating and Photography businesses is that I bring the lens of intersectionality and equity because my own experience and involvement in the art world has observed that this component is/has been missing.
Who have you been inspired by?
I have three wonderful mentors/women embedded into my life who I also get to call my sisters. They all bring different perspectives and educational backgrounds in Economics, Social Justice, Education, and Engineering. They inspire me every day.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: carinaharrisonphotgraphy
Image Credit:
Art in Color (Curating and Photography)
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