Carien Quiroga

About the Artist

Carien Quiroga is ​ an award-winning multimedia visual artist and educator using her artmaking and teaching practices to engage with creative communities, both locally and internationally. Social Justice, mindfulness, and collaboration is at the core of her artistic work and teaching practices.  Ms. Quiroga is on the Maryland State Arts Council Artist-in-Residence, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and Artivate Teaching Artists Rosters. She is a Master Teacher and Instructional Coach for the Maryland Department of Education: Office of Fine Arts - Maryland Centers for Creative Classrooms.  Her teaching includes professional development for educators, visual art workshops for incarcerated youth and adults, including those with mental illness, intergenerational art programs, mural-making residencies in hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and schools working with students of all abilities.

Artist's Statement

Mosaic Mural Making Residency Description and overview During the residency the participants will work with the artist to create a collaborative mosaic mural around a predetermined theme that can be installed permanently at a desired location. The participants will participate in all aspects of the project as they learn to use the mosaic tools and mosaic mural-making techniques, from design, creating individual mosaic elements and working in teams to construct and grout the mural. Participants will learn about the work of a mosaic artist and how mosaic murals can transform communities as they learn about the artists’ cultural heritage and her work in the community as a Teaching and Community Artist.  Participants will be introduced to the project as the Artist share samples of her work as well as artifacts and images of her native country, South Africa. Participants will learn about the cultural, artistic, and geographical diversity and how it relates to the Artist artistic work and teaching.