The Boy and his stray dog, 2025

Carmen Carpena  

Carmen Carpena is an artist who was born and raised in Mexico, her passion for art and painting was something she unfortunately had to set aside. Living in a country with a struggling economy, she was advised to study a different career to secure a future. However, she was determined to follow the path that God positioned before her, so after graduating college she moved to the United States where she fully devoted herself to raising a family.

It wasn't until just eight years ago that the tragic loss of a very close family member touched her heart and prompted her to pick up a pencil and paper in an attempt to deal with the pain. Drawing her precious cousin with a pair of angel wings proved to be the remedy for her sorrow. After posting the drawing titled “Today you try out your wings, fly with God" on social media, the work gained recognition among her peers, prompting her to continue painting.

Within a short period, her works could be found in various art shows and galleries. Initially she found herself drawn towards realism and produced realistic paintings in oils and acrylics but later found freedom in the abstract style, comprised primarily of random chaotic patterns where she found beauty and logic balancing the chaos with color.