About me. The formal version.

     My name is Mia Carisa Moreno.  I was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1977, where my parents met while they were attending college at Highlands University.  I was raised in the border town of El Paso, Texas, where I currently reside with my 10-year-old daughter, Isabella Dolores.  We are Mexican American, with an emphasis on the American.  (It could go both ways here in El Paso.)

My parents and our first family car.  My mom is pregnant with me here. 

I think my dad was feeding me bananas.

Me and my mom.

     After my daughter Bella (“Bee”) was born, I made a decision to return to school to pursue my dreams.  I am finally going to be graduating with a BFA with a Drawing major and a Painting minor in December 2011.  I say “finally’ because I did not anticipate it taking me a full decade to get here. 

Bee, just a few hours old.

My Kindergarten baby.

     I underestimated the struggle that single mother’s go through when there are limited resources, limited time, all-nighters in the studio, and the dire never-ending flow of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.  Relentless self-doubt and second-guessing have invaded my being consistently.  There is a voice in my head that tells me this degree is absolutely luxurious, and totally meaningless.  Lucky for me, I love living in the art world enough to drown out any negative connotations.

My favorite thing to do in this town.

     I plan to continue working on a graduate degree.  I am most interested in research pertaining to the psychology of the creative mind, specifically the female creative mind.  Gender and society are central thematic elements in my work, and sharing any acquired knowledge fulfills my spirit in a way that motivates me to continue on this path. 

     I hope to someday write a few books, have a few solo exhibitions somewhere other than my hometown, teach an art class or two at the college level, and be the sole proprietor and lead seamstress of a profitable dressmaking company specializing in wedding and christening gowns.

Polaroid SX-70, Artistic TZ.

     
     If I am not drawing, painting, stitching, or out on a photo-taking adventure, then I am probably either watching Little House on the Prairie reruns with my brilliant little Bee, playing Rock Band with my super-romantic partner Steven, or sneaking off to the movie theatre by myself to watch something that has the potential to make me cry.

Me and Steven, a few years ago.