My name is Ailen Garcia Gorrita. I was born in the tropical country of Cuba. I moved to the United States when I was 12 years old because my dad was lucky enough to win a visa lottery to move to the United States in pursuit of his dreams. Since I can remember I have constantly held a pencil and paper in my hand. I soon became fascinated with “creating” and manifesting these creations from my imagination. I found an outlet for this creativity through exploring a career in architecture. I enrolled at the University of Florida at the age of 16 and graduated four years later with a Bachelors of Design in Architecture. Then I moved to the midwest and earned a Master in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Throughout my architectural education I was cultivating an emerging talent for acrylic and large-scale paintings. This has developed into my main method of artistic expression. In 2017 I quit my corporate job to move to the Rocky mountains. I immediately fell in love with the rocky mountains and the rivers of the west. I knew when I made it to Montana that I had made it home. I found the western less traveled way of life and since then I have been inspired by the many horses that have crossed my path, the jagged glaciers of glacier national park, and the endless wildlife that have stunned me with their wild beauty. Last year I had the privilege of  meeting my heart horse and decided to buy him. He has been an enormous inspiration for  my work .