Carla Castañeda Bustamante de Veliz was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. From her father she learned how to swim against the current and from her mother she learned the value of perseverance.

Carla’s passion for the arts began in early childhood as she pursued interests such as poetry and dance. Visual art was her calling however, and Carla’s first public showing was at Casa de Cultura of Piedras Negras when she was ten years old. At fifteen, she won first prize in a statewide art competition, after which she was commissioned to produce her first public mural for a local business.

Carla juggled regular schooling in Piedras Negras with art and English night classes across the border in Eagle Pass. Realizing Carla’s potential, her art teacher encouraged her to attend the Art Institute in Houston.

Without any real knowledge of English and armed only with a small portfolio, Carla was accepted to the Institute on the strength of her talent. Although her family did not have the resources to pay for her tuition at the prestigious Institute, Carla, with characteristic determination, procured the necessary loans. In spite of her broken English, she completed her Associates Degree in Visual Communication, graduating with honors.

Carla moved to San Antonio in 1991 to become an art director at an advertising agency. She went on to become the agency’s Creative Director and later pursued a freelance career in advertising and production. During this busy time in her life, painting was left behind.

Carla married Richard Veliz in 1997, and it was he who encouraged her to return to painting. With his support and encouragement, Carla has grown and matured as an artist, now receiving commissions from collectors and businesses alike. Her work graces walls across South Texas and beyond. With the birth of her twins, Carla has deepened her emotional depth and displays and innate ability to transfer form and feelings to canvas.

Carla speaks English very well now. The possibilities are endless.

Email Carla: ccrea@satx.rr.com