Noelle Correia was born in Fresno, California, in 1977.   After spending time tinkering around her father’s auto repair shop as a child, Noelle begin to create an imaginary world making renderings of discarded auto parts using carpenter’s chalk.  She left Fresno at age 18 but took her imaginary world with her and continues to ‘process the nuance and grit of everyday cultural collision through fluvial imagery’. 

Her creative process begins with color.  She is inspired by how color schemes pop in biodiversity, such as a poisonous dart frog’s epidermal layers resting on a muted green leaf.  Botanical Surrealism is how she describes her creative practice.  Symbols that represent the feminine mystique and practical magic are a recurring thematic backdrop.  She conveys the beauty and complexities of human nature using texture, pattern and narrative elements.  From a collection of encaustic (wax painting), water color and paper-cut collage, she creates a vibrant play on color and form.  Be sure to take a look at her work in the Welcome Hall Gallery.