Carmen Marie Alonso is a young Toronto artist. Thematically, she expresses a vibrant visual collision between romanticized nostalgia and a reverence for the loss of innocence that accompanies adolescence. The dream-like spaces Carmen creates, are imagined as a result of the experiences and relationships she has had in her own youth. Carmen finds influences in both the historic palettes and patterns of artists like Vuillard and Monet, as well as in the contemporary themes and styles of her professors and peers in the Toronto art scene. Her latest portrait project aims to draw attention to the moments of romance and friendship she has witnessed between those close to her. She seeks acknowledgment and attention for the insurmountable impact these moments and connections have on her. This, in the hopes that her peers may reflect fondly on these experiences and move forward in their interactions, with severity and sincerity.