Mariestella Colón Astacio is a visual artist currently living and working in the greater Atlanta area. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico she studied at the San Juan League of Art Students and at the Central School of Visual Arts in Santurce, PR. In 1988, she won third prize in the National Talent Search Award of the Pratt Institute of New York, where she later earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1992. Through New York University’s exchange program, she traveled to Venice where she devoted time to painting and exhibiting her work. In 1994 she completed her Master of Arts at New York University. During 2002-2007 she became a member of the Board of Trustees of NurtureART Non-Profit Inc, where she was instrumental in the opening of the NURTUREart Gallery and Emerging Curators Resource Center in Williamsburg Brooklyn, (Keap St); here she managed staff, events, openings, developed the board of directors and established high profile fundraising capital. During this time she also founded GalleryArtist.com, an online alternative art space, art forum and art listing dedicated to the promotion and exposure of emerging artists. Her recent exhibitions include shows at Pier 94, NYC, Art Santa Fe, NM, La Galería de Arte USC, Santurce, PR, Masur Museum of Contemporary Art, Monroe, LA, Tomorrow’s Stars, Verge Art Fair, NYC, Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico, Santurce, PR and Museo de Las Americas, Old San Juan, PR.