We were lucky to catch up with Araceli Carrera recently and have shared our conversation below.

Araceli, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I have experienced would be, the mural I was commissioned to create in July of 2021 for Monarch School in San Diego, CA titled “El Corazon Y Su Mariposa”.
This project came at a time where I needed much healing and art holds that power for me, so I immediately said yes to this opportunity. It was also the year my mother passed away and to dive into creating a mural of such proportion 163′ by 10′ feet was exactly what I needed. My mother was a woman whose heart made everything grow in infinite ways. Her love and support always present, always tangible, and bigger than life.

I was inspired to create this mural also because the building was designed to become The Chrysalis: Monarch School Center for the Arts, a center for monarch students and community. A place to honor everyone’s voice as artists, cultivating trust, and inspiring through a variety of art forms.

The mural process was incredibly rewarding and inspiring. I had freedom to create my heart’s desire and was just requested I included a butterfly which is the symbol of the school. Students also contributed words and other symbols to develop the idea and then students would vote on a final design. I too, had the honor of having my family be a part of the painting process along with monarch students, it was truly a community affair. The experience was incredibly meaningful, I created a heart with plants being born out of it, sprouting the wings of the butterfly. The heart representing my mother’s love and the love that would be nurtured at The Chrysalis. The wings living independently on the right and left side of the heart to represent transformation and flight. I felt that decision reflected the love and discovery of self as an artist and at a personal level how my mother always supported the flight of my dreams.

Being both a visual artist and choreographer, once the mural was finished, I envisioned a choreographic piece in front of it, using the mural as a background. A dance piece that allowed me to speak of the loss my heart was experiencing. Both the mural and the dance came to life quickly, 2 weeks for the mural and a 2-hour dance rehearsal on site with 2 groups of powerful women dancers, mothers, and artists. I then created a video, shared it, and the support I received was heartwarming. “El Corazon y Su Mariposa” is the second of 3 murals that I have created, and I look forward to creating more.

Both the mural and the choreography healed and nurtured my heart, I sincerely say that it will forever be one of the most meaningful projects, I have to this day experienced.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hello, my name is Araceli Carrera, I am a multidisciplinary artist and teacher, mother of an inspiring teen and based in San Diego, CA.
My relationship to art and dance inspires a connection that continues to grow within me. I feel and know that both art and dance are essential and inclusive to everyone. If we allow the presence of any art form, we cultivate our humanity and that builds an awareness to self and others.

I often share:

“We all carry beauty and brilliance in our own body as we dance and create art. It is through the way we share our essence while dancing and making art that we become aware of the powerful exchange art/dance brings. We then recognize that it welcomes you wholeheartedly, no judgment when creating, experiencing, or sharing it. Art and Dance provides a genuine connection that nurtures love in infinite ways, shapes and forms.”

I have a profound love for the arts, and I want to experience it in as many forms as I can. I feel grateful that as an artist, teacher, and choreographer, I create, ignite, and share this with the community and in schools, outreach, workshops and with all grade levels. I was born to be a teacher however I’m a student at heart. I see myself learning always as this provides self-discovery, curiosity, and purpose.

I knew my connection with art began the moment I held a pencil, however my relationship with dance was discovered at the age of 20. Grateful to experience many roles in the dance world from dancer to choreographer, costume designer to set designer, director of my own intergenerational dance company and mentor of dance. I am still in awe of its process, and I continue to create works where I highlight and explore how I honor being a woman, my culture, and personal life experiences.

Mediums and movement vocabulary I am inspired by are, watercolor as it has a mind of its own yet soft, light, defined, and dreamy, pastels because they hold presence and have an incredibly flirtatious attitude, drawing with pencil because its authentic and versatile, and recently painting murals has shown me how grandiose and intimately personal the process is. When it comes to movement, Modern dance awakens and heals my heart, Latin dance ignites my spirit, Hip Hop shakes the soul and the creative process of it all keeps me on my toes!

Creating art for others is a recent experience that I am in love with! In 2021 I began to sell some prints I created during the pandemic. Handmade Lino cut prints were made to reflect how I was connecting during these challenging times. And when I posted a picture on social media of one of them, a generous amount of people reached out about purchasing them. The prints shared concepts of growth, perseverance, and heart. So, I decided to sell and felt honored that there was interest to have my prints live in people’s home. Then I was contacted and began to say yes to commissioned artwork and the journey has been wonderful. I also began teaching private art classes for all ages online, which was an act ignited by the pandemic.

My hope is to continue building on all these opportunities because they bring infinite gratitude to my life.
The exchange of creating art and dance, that can live permanently or experienced for a moment, continues to be a highlight that cultivates my dreams. In the same manner, diving into choreographing for a variety of brilliant dance organizations and companies, that vary from students k-12, professional veteran, and upcoming dance companies has been a beautiful journey. Choreography too, allows me to explore and share meaningful stories that I continue to navigate in this life.

I want to take the opportunity to share, that it is because of the generous, openminded, wholehearted, supporters and by this, I mean, students, audience, family, community and friends of art and dance that I’m inspired to continue nurturing being an artist. I invite you to learn more about my connection, pedagogy methods, choreography, murals and how to purchase art on my website at www.danzaimpulseyarte.com

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience lives parallel in my world with my love of problem solving. I know all creatives are incredible at seeing a challenge and allowing that to transform into a meaningful journey. It is through challenges that art creates, motivates, and ignites personal growth and this in turn impacts community. I don’t give up easily, instead I allow myself to seek what fills my heart kindly and ignites it to resolve and move forward with integrity and respect. Please know, uncertainty crosses my mind, yet I thread steadily and purposefully through it.
However, this took some time to connect with, since from a very young age I carried roles that didn’t correspond to me and in my effort to resolve issues that had nothing to do with me, I became incredibly shy and introverted outside of my family dynamic. I was not aware of the power my presence and essence held and although I knew my voice was intentional, I was unaware of it. And while art created a safe space for me, art was just for me, and that action I protected and no one was to disrupt it, art was a self-healing tool indeed. However, at the age of 20, when I discovered dance, I broke the habit of being shy and began nurturing my place in this world. I became aware of the energy I knew I had and wanted to share. My essence and presence no longer shy because dance embraced me in a way that was inclusive. Dance nurtured my connection to the world I lived in and created.

Dance ignited my voice without having to say a word, I began to experience confidence, awareness, and trust! I was now the artist speaking my mind and heart through it and with it. It also definitely influenced my art and how I created it. I am living proof on the impact of the arts.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

In my heart, I know that building community and support for the arts comes from experiencing it and if the connection is not ignited while doing so, I know the respect within the journey of creating/experiencing art will build supporters of dance, art, and in all the art forms.
As an arts teacher, I share with my students,

“If by the end of the art lessons you still don’t connect with being an artist, it’s ok, because you persevered powerfully through the challenge of making art. My intention was for you to understand the value of the art process not just for self but others! Why? because through this, you now understand how art connects, and that will hopefully inspire you to become a future supporter of the arts. Your experience in art class, gave you the opportunity to witness the process of art making and speak of other artists work too. You don’t have to make the art now, but you can attend art exhibitions and dance performances. My hope is you will be inspired to purchase art and see the value within the process and intention of all types of art. My hope is you connect with the humanity art promotes and you allow it to stir your heart in any way shape or form you need!”

And then the sentiment of not connecting as an artist shift in my students. The love pours and they discover they can build an inspiring relationship to art and artists.

A kind reminder always, artists of all kinds create to connect with everyone. And as an artist, I love the idea of you being a part of it! Gracias at canvas interviews for the opportunity to share all of this with you. Your support builds a beautiful connection with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.danzaimpulseyarte.com
• Instagram: danzaimpulseyarte
• Facebook: Danza, Impulse y Arte
• Youtube: Ms. Artaceli
• Other: tik tok @ms.artaceli

Image Credits
Photos by Mitzi Martinez, Rich Soublet and Araceli Carrera