How Carla E. Reyes Learnt to Trust the Slow Work of Showing Up
In this interview for the Arts to Hearts Project, we speak with New York-based mixed-media artist Carla E. Reyes. Carla shares how her life as a mother, educator, and working artist shapes her creative journey, how she learned to trust the process and how art has remained a steady thread. She talks about the textures that catch her eye, the push and pull of city life, and the beauty she finds in everyday moments, even between loads of laundry.
From building surfaces with sand and twine to painting while raising two kids, Carla shows us what it means to keep showing up for your practice in ways that feel real and possible. This interview reminds us that making art isn’t about waiting for perfect conditions—it’s about creating space for what matters, even in the midst of it all.
And guess what? Carla E. Reyes is featured in our Studio Visit Book, Vol. 5, alongside many talented artists worldwide. Want a sneak peek? Grab your copy now from our shop and enjoy the fantastic artwork created by this global community.
https://shop.artstoheartsproject.com/products/the-creative-process-book
Carla E. Reyes received her MFA in Painting from CUNY Lehman College, NYC, in 2024, an MA in Art Education from CUNY City College of New York, NYC, and a BFA in Restoration and Fine Arts from F.I.T., NYC. She has an exhibition history that spans over 20 years, including the inaugural exhibition of The Art of the Educator at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), NYC – a juried show of art created by NYC public school art teachers, and Mother/Father: Working Artists in Parenthood group show at WomensWork.Art gallery in Poughkeepsie, NY. She has recently been featured in publications such as the Artist Mother Proud and Serious II catalogue, UpperCase Magazine: Domestic Arts, Issue #62, Studio Visit Book Volume 5, and Visionary Arts Magazine, Issue 13 – The Women’s Issue. She was selected for residencies including PoetryxCollage (online) with Kolaj Magazine, 2022; and Alterworks Studios, NYC in 2020.
1. Your work beautifully bridges the natural and man-made worlds. What draws you to this intersection, and how do you choose which moments or scenes to depict?
Having lived in both suburban and urban settings, I have always observed and depicted my surroundings through my artwork. As a professional scenic artist and decorative finisher by trade, my work has involved creating surfaces, textures and illusions using paint and sculptural materials. Sometimes inspiration can come from direct observation of my surroundings; zeroing in on an aging surface of an exterior wall, or tree bark textures I see while in the park with my kids. I work in series, so I tend to pursue my curiosities and create multiple works examining a subject of interest. I am drawn to things that are often overlooked but I see potential for transformation into an art object that communicates on a visceral level.
You must make time for your work. It may not be in the way you imagined, but be open to new ways of working that allow you to ‘do it all.
Carla E. Reyes
2. You explore themes of motherhood and daily life with emotional depth. How has becoming a mother shaped your creative process and perspective as an artist?
Being a mother has reshaped my work and creative process in many ways. The most significant is the time available to work, as well as to access larger spaces and create more ambitious pieces. I have had to work in short bursts and in smaller spaces at home, rather than travel to my offsite studio. At first this was a struggle, but I have learned to incorporate process steps into my domestic and work life, and even find narratives and content to explore within my experience as a mother. In my current Motherwhelm Series of paintings, even my palette has expanded from largely earth tones and industrial hues and textures, to bright, saturated colors found in children’s products and plush or shiny plastic-like finishes.
3. Texture plays a central role in your work. Can you share more about your approach to surface and materials, and how that influences the meaning of your pieces?
I sort of see the world through texture and it informs my work. While I do preliminary sketching for my paintings, they are minimal, and I build the texture on the surface before applying any paint. Though I control the materials, there is always an element of surprise and unexpected elements when working from the ground up so to speak. I also like to use a variety of unconventional materials to build the surfaces, like sand, twine, crumpled paper, recycled objects, etc. Most artists are hoarders and I’ve got an ever-growing stash of textural materials in the studio. There are also so many great new mediums being created that are fun to experiment with!
4. You’ve maintained a vibrant exhibition history over two decades. What has helped you sustain your art practice through the years, especially in a city as dynamic (and demanding) as NYC?
It’s definitely a juggling act being a full-time art educator, mom of two, and visual artist in NYC! I keep active by participating in my studio community’s Open Studios every year in Greenpoint Brooklyn, as well as exhibit new work once a year in our studio’s onsite gallery space. I also seek out other opportunities appropriate to the content and style of my work. I apply for grants and murals, as well as maintain a few decorative finishing clients. I also belong to crit groups and team up with other artists on projects and propose exhibitions.
If I can do a layer of paint between laundry loads—that’s a win.
Carla E. Reyes
5. From murals to intimate collages, your art spans many formats and scales. How do you decide what form a new piece—or series—will take?
Honestly, a lot of the time life just dictates what my next project will be! I may have an idea for a painting but no time to pursue it, and instead get really involved in an example artwork for my middle school art students and then start making work in response to that- completely unexpectedly! Or my collage group proposes a group project with mail art so I spend time on that. One of the best things about being an artist is the constant inspiration and potential for creativity!
6. What advice would you give to women artists balancing creative careers with caregiving or other life roles?
I think that women often put themselves last and/or may feel that their artistic pursuits are not as important as their other roles and responsibilities. I have come to find that without my art, I am not able to be my best self in any other scenario. You must make time for your work. It may not be in the way you imagined but be open to new ways of working that allow you to “do it all.” If I can do a layer of paint between laundry loads- that’s a win! Artists need to create to thrive as people, it’s self-care.
Carla E. Reyes’s artwork tells quiet but deeply felt stories. Through textured surfaces, found materials, and observations from her everyday life, she captures the beauty of things we often overlook—old walls, toys, trees, and even the chaos of motherhood. Her art doesn’t ask for attention—it slowly draws you in, like a memory you didn’t know you were holding onto.
From this conversation, we learn that creativity can live in the middle of real life: in school hallways, in short moments between tasks, and in the spaces we carve out for ourselves. Carla reminds us that art is not separate from life—it’s part of how we live it.
To learn more about Carla, click the following links to visit her profile.
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