Originally from Temascalcingo, Estado de Mexico, Mexico, Erika Rosales is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist based in Madison, Wisconsin. Her work is inspired by the exploration of reconnection, liberation, spirituality and coming back to self.
As a child in Mexico, Erika engaged with art through drawing. However as a teenager living in the U.S., she felt lost, and distanced herself from art. As her spirit craved both self-expression and reconnection to culture, she returned to art through stage performance. Mexican Folkloric dance allowed her to surrender to the process of self-exploration, which led her to painting and drawing again. The challenges of living as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. with DACA, and the complexity of the earthly experience have allowed her to search for healing, connection, self-awareness, and beauty.
Erika’s visual art includes abstract paintings through different mediums such as alcohol ink on yupo paper and mixed media on canvas. Her work is part of private and public collections. Erika has also collaborated on local mural projects with acrylic and spray paint that center social justice movements and culture.
Artist Statement
I express my love for existence as a multidisciplinary artist. My work is a juxtaposition of reconnection, liberation, coming back to self and the exploration of other realms. Therefore, I extend an invitation to the viewer to embark on a spiritual journey of the human experience with self, the world, and the universe.
By interacting with elements in both large and small spaces, I navigate this exploration by creating various surfaces with materials such as acrylic, alcohol ink, spray paint, and masa harina/semolina (corn grits). I represent visuals from the physical to non-physical through abstraction on my alcohol ink and acrylic paintings. In my acrylic paintings, the use of unconventional materials to create texture enhance emotional aspects. Employing gilding (metal leafs) and metallic paints allows me to provide a sense of mysticism and connection to the divine. On the other hand, my mural collaborations have been motivated by a desire to celebrate beautiful aspects of our shared humanity.
As humans, we have created systems of oppression, division, and paradigms that disconnect us from ourselves and the sacred. Considering my lived experience, especially as an undocumented woman, I am inspired by the idea of transcending our limited human condition. I intend to make the unseen seen. Through this reconnection, I continue to allow my inner guidance to explore what true healing means. In a world often marked by disconnection and confusion, my goal is to create a connection to the bigger meaning of life and existence and our role in it.
RESUME
EDUCATION
Self taught artist- Continuous exploration in acrylic, alcohol ink, and spray paint
Previous Career Academic Background:
M.A Cultural Foundations of Community Engagement and Education. UW-Milwaukee. 2020
B.A International Studies with an emphasis on Public Diplomacy. Minor in Psychology. UW-Whitewater. 2009
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 - 11th Annual Latino Art Fair Exhibit, Commonwealth Gallery, Madison Wi
2024 - Freedom and Independence, Latino Arts Art Exhibition, Commonwealth Gallery, Madison Wi
2024 - Java Cat Auction Exhibit, Madison Wi
2024 - Reprocidad, Edgewood College Gallery, Madison Wi
2015 - DREAMERS Fundraiser, UW-Milwaukee
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 - Art Is Medicine That Heals Us All- UW-Madison Women’s and Gender Studies Consortium Online Exhibit
MURAL PROJECTS
2025- Corazon Nopalero- Mother Fools Coffee, Madison Wi
2024 - The listening heart, Sugar Creek Elementary School, Verona Wi
2023 - Free Palestine- Mother Fools Coffee, Madison Wi
2022 - The Beauty of Multilingualism, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, UW-Madison Wi
2020 - See Love-Black Lives Movement, State Street, Madison Wi
2019 - Nuestra Latinidad y Esperanza, Centro Hispano of Greater Madison, Madison Wi
VISUAL PERFORMANCES
2005-2024
Cultural Dancer of Mexican Folkloric dance groups. Ballet Folklorico de Los Hermanos Avila, Mexican Dance Ensemble and DanzTrad. Madison, Wi and Milwaukee, Wi
Yearly performances at the Overture Center for the Arts International Festival
School performances such as Nuestro Mundo Elementary, Midvale Elementary, Cherokee Middle School, Memorial High-School, and more
Community performances such as UW-Madison Memorial Union, Art Fair on the Square, Taste of Madison, Goodman Community Center, Kids on the Rotunda at the Overture Center for the Arts and more
National performances in places such as Washington State, Arkansas, New York, and Philadelphia
TEACHING
2025 - 2026 Latine Comics Collective. Partnership between UW-Madison and West High-school, Madison Wi
2019 - Centro Hispano Art Workshop for (Re)generacion Youth Group. Madison, Wi