Sierra Montoya Barela

Philadelphia, PA

Artist Statement

My work lives in the realm of still lifes and invented or imagined spaces. My paintings often depict a fleeting moment in time with symbolic homages to my Hispanic heritage and Catholic upbringing. Ornate tile work and grainy wood interact with domestic items such as planters, photo frames, and chairs used to highlight the absence of a subject while simultaneously giving weight and reverence to these spaces that occupy our time.

Artist Biography

Sierra Montoya Barela is an artist living and working in Philadelphia, PA. Barela earned a BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2015. Recently, her work has been included in group and solo exhibitions at Post Gallery Zurich (Zurich, Switzerland), Galerie Robertson Arés (Montreal, Canada), David B. Smith Gallery (Denver, Colorado), the Museo de las Americas (Denver, Colorado) and as part of the Octopus Initiative at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (Denver, Colorado).

sierramontoyabarela.com

@smbarela

Sierra Montoya Barela

Artist Statement