Phoenix artist paints a love letter to her heritage in new exhibition | Phoenix New Times
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Phoenix artist paints a love letter to her heritage in new exhibition

In "Con Cariño Siempre," Ariana Enriquez's giant, colorful flowers and vibrant animals are symbols of family.
Image: Ariana Enriquez poses with one of the works in her "Con Cariño Siempre" exhibition.
Ariana Enriquez poses with one of the works in her "Con Cariño Siempre" exhibition. Ofelia Montelongo
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Ariana Enriquez’s "Con Cariño Siempre" exhibition feels like walking through a garden rooted in nostalgia and Mexican culture. Flowers, birds and people portrayed in the work tell stories about acts of service, kindness and compassion, turning the show into visual love letter to her family.

The first solo exhibition by the El Paso, Texas-born artist opened at the Gallery at CCA (Chandler Center for the Arts) in early August and runs through Nov. 8.

Enriquez hadn’t created work solely for herself in a long time, so when the exhibition opportunity arose, she decided to focus on her family while incorporating the flora and fauna she loves to paint. Drawing inspiration from time spent with her mother and grandmother — listening to their stories, learning about their lives before motherhood and recognizing the strength of the women she descends from — she seeks to honor their experiences and carry their resilience into her own creative path.
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Gallery view of "Con Cariño Siempre" at Chandler Center for the Arts.
Ariana Enriquez

A central inspiration for the exhibition comes, of all things, a treasured piece of furniture.

“While my great-aunt Gloria’s dining room table has served as a catalyst for conversation and connection in my family, it is also a larger metaphor for all of the moments that my family has come together and created space for storytelling,” Enriquez explains. This sense of intimacy and history also makes showing her first solo exhibition at the Gallery at CCA deeply personal.

“Since I went to Chandler High School, and had such formative art teachers there, the Gallery at the Chandler Center for the Arts felt like the perfect place to show my work at this point in my creative journey. The last time that I shared my work in this space was as a student during a grade-wide showcase, so this exhibition feels very full-circle,” she adds.

Art has always been part of Enriquez’s life.

“Throughout my childhood, art was a constant. I would make drawings for all of my friends, then would trade these drawings for their snacks,” she says.

She studied art history and painting at ASU, initially envisioning a career in museums while creating art on the side. After receiving her first mural commission in 2020, she discovered a passion for large-scale work, which eventually led her to establish her own LLC in 2022.

“I love that murals are freely accessible, allowing us to experience art in the course of our daily lives, outside of museums or other cultural institutions,” she notes. Since then, she has dedicated herself to pursuing art full-time, navigating the challenges and rewards of both creative practice and small business ownership.

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Ariana Enriquez's grandfather stands with "Ithamar's Roses," a piece inspired by him.
Ariana Enriquez

In Enriquez’s current exhibition, her choice of flora and fauna is always intentional, guided by research into each species’ traits and the symbolic meanings they carry. She seeks out plants and animals whose qualities mirror those of her family, weaving these connections into her work as metaphors for love, memory and resilience.

For example, in "The Love You Planted," she chose sunflowers to represent her mother, their deep roots symbolizing the family’s enduring support and values, and their sun-tracking movement reflecting the guidance she finds in her.

In "Ithamar’s Roses" (named after her grandfather), she depicts a female Gambel’s quail accompanied by seven chicks, symbolizing her grandfather, his siblings and their mother, Lazara.

“When my grandpa was young, he witnessed his dad bring home and plant rose bushes all around their home,” she recalls. “Although they didn’t have much, his dad would prune the roses, making bouquets to give to Lazara. This gesture of love is something that my grandpa continues to this day. Upon buying their first home, my grandpa planted rose bushes in the backyard in honor of his parents, and prunes them to make the most beautiful bouquets for my grandma. I’ve always been inspired by my grandpa’s garden and his ability to grow something from nothing. I love painting botanical themes partly because of him,” she explains.

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"Amor de mis Amores" by Ariana Enriquez.
Ariana Enriquez

Hummingbirds have long held a spiritual significance for her family; after her great-grandmother’s passing, her grandmother found comfort in their presence, seeing each encounter as a visit from her mother.

“I wanted hummingbirds to be the primary focus of 'Amor de mis Amores.' This piece features species native to and abundant in the Chihuahuan desert: dasylirion plant, claret cup cactus blooms and a female and male broad billed hummingbird, who are representative of my grandma’s parents,” she explains.

“Both of my great-grandparents are from Chihuahua. Sotol, a traditional distilled spirit  is made from the dasylirion plant. It is deeply rooted in the region’s history and identity, used by Indigenous communities for food, clothing, tools and shelter. Sotol embodies the resilience of the desert, representing a connection to the land.”

Enriquez believes that in a world constantly pulling us away from being present, experiencing art in person offers a way to reclaim that presence. Through her work, she hopes viewers find peace and joy, while the vivid colors and detailed depictions of Sonoran Desert flora and fauna spark curiosity and deeper awareness of the natural world. Ultimately, she aims to inspire reciprocity and respect for the species we share our home with and for Mother Earth itself.