About the Artists

Cristina Ayala

Cristina Ayala is a Dallas-based fiber artist whose work intricately weaves together her background in design with her passion for textiles. Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Cristina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design with a minor in fashion design from Universidad de Monterrey. It was during her time living on the East Coast that she discovered her love for fiber art and began exploring techniques that would later become integral to her artistic expression.

In 2020, Cristina shifted her focus to her art practice and began showing work locally in cultural centers. In 2023, she was part of Cohort 4 at The Cedars Union art incubator program, during this time she exhibited at different galleries in Dallas and Fort Worth. More recently she exhibited work at Galleri Urbane in Dallas, and at Carpet Diem in Paris, France. She has implemented art activities for families as a guest artist during different events at the Nasher Sculpture Center. Cristina currently works as a Communications Manager at a contemporary art gallery.

Drawing inspiration from her Mexican heritage, Cristina’s work is characterized by a vibrant fusion of traditional techniques and contemporary design. Through the use of natural fibers and intuitive weaving, she creates pieces that evoke a sense of nostalgia and change.

Marjaneh Goudarzi

Born in Iran, Marjaneh Goudarzi is a Dallas-based figurative artist and art historian whose practice spans painting and sculpture. For more than three decades, she has explored the human figure, identity, and expression through paint, recently expanding her work into sculpture, ceramics, and clay-based forms.

Before immigrating to the U.S. in 2010, Goudarzi spent 17 years as a professor of oral medicine at Shiraz Dental School. Her life and practice have since evolved across art, education, and museum engagement, including solo and group exhibitions and an MA in Art History from the University of Texas at Dallas. She currently works with the Learning and Engagement team at the Nasher Sculpture Center, where her interests in art, people, and conversation come together.

Moving fluidly between painting and three-dimensional work, Goudarzi approaches materials with curiosity and play, allowing experimentation and the handmade process to remain an essential part of her practice.

Carolyn Marco

Carolyn Marco, Carter Community Artist, is a Richardson-based multidisciplinary artist and educator whose work explores material transformation, sustainability, and creative connection. With a background in metalsmithing and jewelry, she uses reclaimed materials to create meaningful, hands-on art experiences. Marco works as a Gallery Educator at the Dallas Museum of Art and develops upcycling and wearable-art workshops through her independent practice, Kiki Knows Art. Her work encourages makers of all ages to reimagine the beauty of the overlooked.