By Leah Lewis
Photos Courtesy of the artist and Tru Dobbins
Starting this semester, the Willow School embraces a new teacher into the CA Visual Arts (CAVA) Department, Vanessa Centeno.
Born and raised in San Antonio Texas, Centeno always had an amusement and gift for art. In fact, her whole world was surrounded by it.
“I was always drawing, I was always making,” Centeno said. “My mom was very artistic, and we were always doing crafts. So I came from a very creative family. It was a part of our growing up, you know? We made what we needed as far as clothes, things to decorate, or whatever. We were a crafty family.”
Adding on to her artistic upbringing, Centeno had an art teacher at her high school who opened her eyes to various ways and methods to create. After high school, she went to a community college in her hometown, San Antonio. It was then that Centeno was beginning to see a possible career in art.
“When I got into college, I found out that you could major in art. I didn’t even think that you could do that,” Centeno said.
“I got an award that you could get a scholarship to afford any college you wanted,” Centano said. “I ended up going to San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), and I got a scholarship there. That really expanded my concept of what art is. It was no longer just a drawing or a painting.”
While in college, Centeno’s view of what art could be continued to broaden as she met more and more people with concepts she hadn’t even thought of introducing with art.
“It opened that door to the way art impacts our culture and our time. People were talking about all types of things, like feminism and your heritage. There were different ways of exploring or expressing yourself. It wasn’t just painting a pretty picture but really having a social impact. That really fueled a lot of where I’m at today.”
After graduating from SFAI, Centeno moved back to Texas, working then in an art museum, meeting many artists and people. She was then informed about an opportunity in New Orleans at UNO (University of New Orleans) where she could get a scholarship while doing student teaching to attain her masters in 2011 and was met with support and community in New Orleans.
“The thing about New Orleans is that it’s a really supportive arts community,” Centano said. “That’s what I love about being here–going to school here and just the city. The art world here in New Orleans is very eager for artists to create new works or new experiences.”
Centeno felt a connection between the city of New Orleans (which was still heavily impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2011 when she moved here) and herself–both were going through a period of transition.
After graduate school, Centeno hosted many art shows back in San Antonio and here in New Orleans. To financially support these shows, Ceneno would host dinner parties. While working at Southeastern Louisiana University, Centeno was informed about a job opening at the Willow High School by two friends.
“I was trying to get closer to home, so I applied.”
We welcome Ms. Centeno to Willow!
