ABOUT Raquel

Born in Panama City, Panama, my love for art started at a young age while attending the city’s first art school. My experience with art and Panama came to a crashing halt when my family was exiled from the country due to the turbulent political climate in the late 80s. My family and I received political asylum in the States and settled in Louisiana, where I stopped pursuing art after my family’s daunting departure from Panama.

 

Throughout my life, I've moved around the States and parts of Europe, always close to water, an influence commonly seen in my creations. After settling in Minnesota with my husband and three children, I reconnected with art, starting with local art classes in Lakeville, reconnecting with oils, and exploring acrylic mediums. I started using art as a therapeutic tool that has helped me overcome past experiences. 

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Growing up close to the Panama Canal and other bodies of water is a constant theme in my art. I also draw upon my Latin culture, infusing my past journey with techniques highlighting movement, interconnectedness, and sustainability. My new series highlights discarded objects incorporated into my art, giving them a new voice and purpose.

 

Over the years, I've engaged in the community as a volunteer. Also working to promote arts programming around the Twin Cities; former president of the Burnsville Visual Arts Society, Arts and Culture Engagement Coordinator at CLUES (largest Latine non-profit organization MN). Today, I serve the City of Brooklyn Center as the Artist-in-Residence.

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I believe my abstract art provides an awakening to creative exploration and the experience it offers has the power to lift people’s spirits.