I’m Joanna Barreras, a painter based in Northern Colorado. I received my BA in Art History from MSU Denver in 2012 but never figured out exactly what path I wanted to take. I tried a bunch of different jobs until I found a great one that I enjoy, pays the bills and for my art supplies.
Through all my various jobs, I kept sketching and painting and delighting in the magic of art making.
I love using bright colors in my paintings, inspired by the everyday things that bring us joy. I became passionate about creating art when I was in high school. my heart ignited in art class, and it became an outlet for my anxiety and big emotions. It felt like magic for such little things, colored pencil scribbles, glowing globs of paint, glue, and magazine clippings to pull me into a sunbeam of joy. Making art has trained my brain to find the beauty and magic in all things- ordinary and abnormal.
Joanna Barreras 