From ceramics to glassblowing to black-light photography of colorful flames, fire has long been the animating force behind Carlos Eduardo Gacharná’s art. His ongoing interest in forging and recasting raw materials and light into new forms is closely tied to his preoccupation with migration and identity-making in foreign or hostile places — a perspective that now makes him a deeply empathic teacher and community builder.

In 2017, Carlos moved to the Los Angeles ecosystem, where he now runs after-school programming at artworxLA. Carlos also teaches weekly art workshops through Angels Gate Cultural Center’s Artists in Classrooms program in San Pedro and West Long Beach.