This image was taken by Jalisa Miller during my art residency at Carroll Hall, event space in Bushwick, NYC during the summer of 2022.
HOLA
Thank you for visiting!
For contact email: hola@crissalas.com
ART STATEMENT
I am a mixed media artist, working with drawing, fibers, mosaics, ceramics, paint, found objects, the possibilities are endless. The medium varies depending on how best to tell a story and create characters that allow the work to inhabit a space. Although my process is intuitive, and free-flowing I incorporate an intentional design philosophy that defines a sense of place. Symbolism reveals a spiritual relationship with the natural environment connecting people to each other and connecting humans to plants, trees and animals. I am often working in a public place, interacting with the built environment or interior architecture. I see myself as a place-maker with a responsibility to the people and communities who are connected to a place. The work is inherently generous meant to give the viewer a joyful experience.
BIO
I am originally from Quito, Ecuador, B. 1985. I studied fine art at the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze, Italy from 2004-2007 before moving to Paris for one year to study drawing at Ateliers Beaux Arts, Glacière, France. I hold a masters in Art Production from Universidad Politècnica de Valencia, Spain 2010. I moved back to Quito and started working with mosaic murals, fiber art garden dolls with live plantings. Between 2011 and 2012 I participated in 3 art residencies: Liceo de Chesnoy, France, Fist Art Foundation in Puerto Rico and Latin American Art with FONCA in Mexico. In 2013 I participated in an art workshop for Liceo Internacional School and became a teaching artist of ceramics and drawing at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. In 2018 I graduated with a Master in Architecture from Louisiana State University, United States. I moved to New York to work for Dameron Architecture, where we collaborated with clients to create mosaic installations, including Carroll Hall, an event space in Bushwick. Thanks to the support of Chashama I had my first solo show in Manhattan in 2022. This opportunity connected me with curator Connie Lee of Art Lives Here, a non profit organization where I was selected for the 2022 Project Development cohort. We are working collaboratively to raise funding and to facilitate approvals with city agencies to create "The Turtle’s Garden" a public art installation intended to be installed in 2025-2026 somewhere in Brooklyn. In the meantime I was awarded The Folly Tree Arboretum Dancing Tree Award and made Dancing Muñeca a pollinator garden in their field. In March 2024 I installed “Muñeca del Mar”, a pollinator garden commissioned by Arte Fits in Dorado, Puerto Rico. I currently work in Brooklyn as a full time artist with a studio practice at home.
BIOGRAPHY
art residencies AND COMMIsSIONS
2024
Muñeca del Mar, 5th Art in Golf Triennial “Patterns of Nature”, Arte Fits Foundation, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado, Puerto Rico
2023
Dancing Muñeca, The Folly Tree Arboretum, Hamptons, NY, United States
Art Lives Here, Project Development cohort, NYC, United States
2022
Carroll Hall summer artist residency, Bushwick, NYC, United States
2013
Muñeca Viajera, 1st Art in Golf Triennial, Arte Fits Foundation, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado, Puerto Rico
Franja Arte y Comunidad, Puerto del Morro, Ecuador
2012
5th exhibition of Latin America and Haiti in Mexico, Cultural Center of Spain, City of Mexico, Mexico
2011
Hija de la Tierra, Art Residency at Agricultural school, Liceo Chesnoy, Montargis, France
awards AND PUBLICATIONS
2024
Cash Prize winner, Arts to Hearts Project, ATH Magazine Issue 5
2023
Winter Exhibition Catalog, A Ball Court, Crocodiles, from I Like Your Work. Curated by Jenny Wu
The Dancing Folly Tree Award, Hamptons, New York, United States
2018
Academic Achievement Award, School of Architecture, LSU, Baton Rouge, United States
solo and two person exhibitions
2022
Mythical World, Overlook Medical Center, New Jersey, NY, United States
Cosmic Gardens, Chashama, 1285 2nd Avenue, NYC, United States
2015
Sentidos with Artist Que Zhenin, Mas Arte Gallery, Cumbaya, Ecuador
2013
Woven braid, P7 Vitrina de Arte, Quito, Ecuador
2012
Anthropomorphic Doll, Alianza Francesa, Quito, Ecuador
2011
Recorriendo un Campo Lúdico #1, Hacienda la Estancia, Puembo, Ecuador
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
My parque mi tierra, The Arsenal Gallery, Central Park, NYC, United States
Women Celebrate Women, El Barrios Artspace PS109, NYC, United States
2022
Cosmic Seed #6, Art Gowanus Art Walk, 262 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NYC
Free portraits, 5th Avenue Art Stroll, Brooklyn, NYC
Open Studios, Art Gowanus, at Janice Everett studio, 280 Nevins St 3rd floor, Brooklyn, NYC
2021
Yarn Bomb, JJ Playground, Brooklyn, NYC
2015
Recorriendo un Campo Lúdico #2, Hacienda la Estancia, Puembo, Ecuador
Aforismos, Casa de la Cultura, Quito, Ecuador
ECUA UIO, Festival de Arte Contemporáneo, Quito, Ecuador.
2014
Libri Art, Pentasiete, Quito, Ecuador
Sacatrapos, Casa Olmedo, Quito, Ecuador
2013
Arte Emergente Brasil Award, Contemporary Art Center (CAC), Quito, Ecuador
More is More, Contemporary Art Center (CAC) Quito, Ecuador
2011
Dress in collaboration with Ispirato Corpo, Biennial of Cuenca, Ecuador
2010
Photography student exhibition, French Alliance, Quito, Ecuador
2009
Etnia VI, Fair of Contemporary Latin art, Espace Wallonie, Brussels, Belgium.
Performance Fallen Arms, Espacio gallery, Valencia, Spain.
III Biennial of Etching, Quart de Poblet, Valencia, Spain.
2008
The nude in contemporary art in Ecuador, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Quito, Ecuador.
2007
Etnia V Fair of Contemporary Latin art, King Files, Brussels, Belgium
Workshop Outside Project, Belgrade, Serbia
MOSAIC AND DESIGN COMMISSIONS
2012-2022
5 Tile and mosaic Murals, Private residence, Quito, Ecuador
2018-2020
Director of Art Projects, Dameron Architecture, Brooklyn, NYC, United States
2017-2019
2 Public Art installations for Sabai Brewery, Quito, Ecuador
2014
Logo Design and Mural for Andes Brewing, Quito, Ecuador
2010
Art for all murals, Sevilla, Spain
TEACHING
2023-2022
Mosaic workshops, Carroll Hall, Bushwick, New York, United States
2017-2018
Graduate Assistant, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Lousiana, United States
Summer camp teacher at 7elements, Summer Camp, Baton Rouge, Lousiana, United States
2014-2015
Ceramic and drawing teacher, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
2014
Proyecto Artístico (2 months), Unidades educativas de Pronaca, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas y Bucay, Ecuador
2013
My friendly environment workshop (6 months), Liceo Internacional, Quito, Ecuador
EDUCATION
2016 - 2018 Master of Architecture Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States
2008 - 2009 Master of Art Production, Universidad Politècnica de Valencia, Spain
2007 - 2008 Drawing study, Ateliers Beaux Arts de la Ville de Paris, Glacière, France
2004 - 2007 Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts, Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze, Florence, Italy