Carlos Roa Features in Raices/Roots for Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month
Photo by Joseph Benitez
By Sarah Barr, Executive Director of Wild Goose Creative
Photos by Joseph Benitez
Carlos Roa, who goes by “Roa,” is a local artist and owner of Fifth Element Tattoo Gallery. He’s featured in this month’s Latine and Hispanic arts exhibition at Wild Goose Creative. Titled Raíces/Roots, it features works of Latine and Hispanic artists based in Columbus and surrounding areas, as part of the culmination of the 2022 Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month.
Sarah: How do you best describe your art?
Roa: My personal art is what I call visionary art; it feels spiritual, dream-influenced with an homage to indiguous style. It’s little breadcrumbs of my own culture, which allows me to find my own identity. I want it to invoke and inspire my community to see something different, merging all cultural influences into one voice of unity.
Sarah: What is instrumental about this show?
Roa: Being part of an inaugural art show featuring Latine/Hispanic art is an honor. This show brings the roots of the artists to the forefront and their voices are being heard. Showing our art as a collective is a way for us to express and voice what we need to say.
Sarah: In your opinion, what is the best thing about the Columbus art scene right now?
Roa: The arts in Columbus right now are breaking barriers, for the artists we are all being welcomed. I believe art is being recognized in marginalized communities to evoke and inspire others and more of this needs to happen and be highlighted. To have change, we need to see how others see the world, and express their roots.
Sarah: What albums/artists do you listen to while painting?
Roa: Music is inspirational. I listen to world Latin music and I’m a big hip-hop fan. Anything upbeat to keep me going while I’m creating — the art in a sense talks to me and when I want to get into the vibe I listen to what is needed at the time to inspire me.
Follow Roa’s tattoo work on Instagram at @roa_tattoos. Raices/Roots is on display at Wild Goose Creative, 188 McDowell St. in Franklinton, through Nov. 1.