With a background in graphic design and as a practicing visual artist, Carla is most interested in the role of art and design in community development. She has worked closely with North Minneapolis artists and entrepreneurs on initiatives that showcase local talent and build wealth, including the West Broadway Farmers Market, FLOW Northside Arts Crawl, and various pop-up boutiques through her role at the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition.

Carla spent some time in London to pursue a Master’s Degree and focus on her ceramics practice. She was a working artist at The Kiln Rooms, a ceramics studio that provides classes and membership in South London, for two years before returning to Minneapolis in 2020. Her ceramics practice is motivated by the concept of home, and she designs and produces homeware and accessories aesthetically inspired by and functionally shaped to Black, African, and Caribbean cultures and experiences.