Founder of Orozco Gallery Ithaca
January 2024 - PRESENT
In January 2024, as I found myself immersed in the world of possibilities, I fervently brainstormed ways to forge new pathways for emerging artists. The desire to create opportunities pulsated within me, yet I yearned for a vessel that would carry this mission without being overshadowed by my personal identity. That's when the concept of Orozco Gallery materialized—an entity poised to radiate opportunities for artists within the enchanting Finger Lakes area.
The name Orozco holds profound significance. It is a manifestation of my other side, an homage to the layers of identity that course through my veins. With each brushstroke of the gallery's existence, I seek to weave a narrative that resonates with the soulful connection to my family and heritage.
As the founder of Orozco Gallery, my vision for 2024 is set ablaze with the determination to curate and host a myriad of events, fostering a dynamic platform for artists to showcase their talents. Through the lens of this one-woman show organization, I aspire to cultivate a space where creativity thrives, where emerging talents find their voices amplified.
To read more about "Orozco Gallery"
Click Here
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Resident Artist at Leidenfrost Vineyards
January 2024 - PRESENT
"Founded in 1990, Leidenfrost Vineyards is a small, family owned farm-winery found in the heart of the Finger Lakes in Hector, New York.
Located on the southeastern shore of Seneca Lake, Leidenfrost Vineyards focuses on producing delicious small batch, hand-crafted wines made from 100% estate grown grapes. Leidenfrost Vineyards remains a family-owned and operated business with a proud female winemaker."
Testimonial:
"Leidenfrost Vineyards is thrilled to feature Yen Ospina as the resident artist in our tasting room gallery ! We were searching for an artist who could install a unique and beautiful series of works that really suited our space while adding to the ambiance and energy of the environment. Yen's art does just that! Creating a wave of magnetic emotion in onlookers while simultaneously allowing the space to feel warm and welcoming. Yen's work keeps you coming back again and again to explore and discover all of the little nuances such as the touches of copper or the pastel highlights that accent each piece.
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Hispanic & Latino/x Exhibition Curator
October 2023 - PRESENT
On Oct. 6, 2023 in downtown Ithaca, N.Y. the Community School of Music and Arts came alive with vibrancy, beauty and a celebration of heritage. In addition to several other events that occurred during Hispanic Heritage month this year in Ithaca, an art exhibition took place featuring local Hispanic and Latinx artists, Curated by Yen Ospina
Click Here to Read More
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Co-Organizer of Porchfest Makers Market
November 2023 - PRESENT
We are excited to announce our first Porchfest Makers Market, organized by Nicole Basta and Yen Ospina. Ithaca, NY
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The Rockwell Museum Exhibit "We Are Made Up of Star Stuff"
June 2023
To complement The Rockwell Museum’s 2023 theme, Heroes, these artworks will encourage kids and adults to think about how we are the heroes of caring for our planet, each other and ourselves. Did you know that the elements in our bodies, from the calcium in our bones to the carbon in our DNA, were created in space long, long ago? Yen’s artworks will demonstrate our connections to our great big universe and ask us to think about our place in it.
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Organizer & Curator of Present Conversations
June 2023 - PRESENT
Present Conversations is A Visual Expression of Culture and Art featuring a group of POC and Indigenous artists. The exhibit interprets the past, present and future through each artist’s unique culture. The June 2023 Show in the CAP ArtSpace Gallery features Al Tejera, Brandon Lazore (Onondaga), Cayetano Valenzuela, Cruz Newman, Loreto Molina, Priya Sirohi, Samantha Jacobs (Seneca), Suzanne Onodera, Travis Mammedaty (Kiowa/Seneca-Cayuga) and curating artists Michael Jon Morgan and Yen Ospina.
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Activist Speaker in Arts & Community
2023-PRESENT
In a milestone moment in 2023, I, had the privilege of being invited to Ithaca High School to share insights on the intersection of activism, community events, and art. This opportunity allowed me to engage with students in a dynamic conversation about the transformative power of art in driving positive change within our communities.
Fast forward to the present, and I am now actively participating in Social Justice Week, serving as a catalyst for awareness and change. Through various initiatives, I strive to shed light on the tangible impact artists can make and encourage students to embrace their creative potential as a force for societal betterment.
During these engagements, I share my personal experiences and emphasize the ways in which artists can contribute to social causes. The goal is to inspire students to recognize the profound changes they can effect as artists and community advocates. Together, we explore the avenues for collaboration, community engagement, and the transformative role that art can play in fostering dialogue and empathy.
As I continue to be a part of Social Justice Week, I am deeply committed to nurturing a sense of responsibility among the students. The aim is to instill the belief that each brushstroke, every creative endeavor, can contribute to a more just and compassionate society. This journey is not just about art; it's a collective effort to ignite change and leave a lasting impact on the community we call home. 🎨✊🌟
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"Fluida Vida" Abstract Series
January 2023
Art Statement of Fluida Vida Show by Yen Ospina
I have always been an artist. But it wasn’t until 2020 during the lock-down that I finally allowed myself to truly become one. What was stopping me before then? What stifled my expression? Why didn’t I believe I could do this sooner? These questions and sensations, the process of confronting myself and the truth of my being in this life are what I have sought to explore and address in this series. The title Fluida Vida (Fluid Life) reflects the constant shifts and changes that we experience in life. My hope is that this deeply personal exploration that takes place in abstract mixed media allows you, the viewer, to connect on a visceral level - beyond the words we have, in the field of emotions that have no name; that can only be felt in those secret spaces of the soul.
Through a series of abstract mixed media paint collages on canvas, I bring pieces of self that feel disparate into a unified whole. For me, this relates to the impact of the “American Dream” being internalized by my immigrant parents and the expectations placed on me as a child. Before I was ever conceived, it was their fierce love for the idea of me and their dreams for what their children could be in the United States that pulled my parents across borders to a strange land of possibility. I admire their tenacity deeply. Everything I am, and all that I will become began with their love and bravery to face the unknown. Growing up, I felt pulled in what felt like two different directions. Being caught between two worlds, two ways of being, Colombian, American, never enough of one and always too much of the other - in a way this creates an unresolvable impasse, in another way: I am forged as something new. It became my purpose to live as my full and authentic self. This has meant becoming an artist in spite of the expectations of my parents, and overall unlearning of their fears, inhibitions, and beliefs that are not my own. Breaking generational trauma as a first generation Latinx American has allowed me to embody who I am and become the woman of my dreams. I can think of no better way to offer my story than through my art.
I have used a combination of oil, alcohol, acrylic, ink, and mod podge on several canvases to express the internal journey of growth, perseverance and acceptance I have undergone while belonging to two distinct cultures. Each canvas is representative of a large moment of my life: acceptance, vulnerability, manipulation, abuse, expectation, defeat, valor, empathy, rage, and devotion. I chose each color, tone and hue to represent the embodiment of my experiences. By creating layers of lush color in abstract blooms of pigment, I aim to convey a universal experience of welling emotions for which words are inadequate. While I am describing my personal evolution, these pieces are completed by the unique internal landscape of each viewer; our silent dialogue. It is my hope that by showing up vulnerably, you will feel not only that you better know me, but also that you will receive the invitation to be vulnerable yourself.
My own battles may well continue, but I’ve turned the tide of progress to my favor, and that feels very aligned and worth celebrating! Thank you for being here and supporting my journey as an artist and as a fully realized human being.
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Founder & Event Producer/Coordinator of Ithaca's Latinx Heritage Fiesta
October 2022 - PRESENT
An annual community event with Hispanic & Latin food vendors, artist makers, and performances.
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"The Process" With Siena
Introducing:
Yen Ospina: The Strange Beauty Of Being Human
2022
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2 Year running of "Best Visual Artist" in Ithaca
2021-2022
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Gap Collaboration
2021-2022
Gap reached out to me in 2021, they told me they wanted to collaborate with me! I was skeptical, I wasn't sure it was real...until I read the contract.
They launched the shirts around International Women's Day 2022. This taught me that dreams can become reality!
If you want to support me, buying directly from my online shop is the way to go!
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Greenstar Collaboration
2022
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Ithaca Hummus Get Out The Vote Mural
2021
