Artist Spotlight: Colomba Klenner

“Clean Streams, Happy Seals” by Colomba Klenner, 2025. Located across the street from Columbus Park Preparatory Elementary School.

For artist Colomba Klenner, the drive to create has been with her since childhood. “Ever since I was little I knew I’d be an artist,” she says. Though she first pursued a career as a makeup artist, it was attending a mural festival in Montreal that shifted everything. “I felt this burning passion like this is what I should be doing. After that no obstacle mattered. If it wasn’t feasible, I will make it work one way or another.”

Her latest piece, Clean Streams, Happy Seals, brings that passion to Worcester’s streets as part of the Catch Basin Mural Project. The mural began with research. “I wanted to see what type of sea animals are local to Massachusetts and also which ones aren’t represented very often,” she says. When she found seals, “I got really excited about the idea of making a seal mural!”

Colomba describes her artistic style as colorful, hopeful, organic. Originally trained in traditional painting, her approach has evolved over time. “When you first learn painting… you learn a lot of the basics and all the rules,” she says. As she’s grown as an artist, “some things start to stand out and you get comfortable knowing how and when to break the rules.” Today, her work reflects a signature color palette and stylized figures that feel distinctly her own.

Public art presents a different creative challenge compared to her gallery work. “In a public setting my art flattens,” she explains. “There are more solid colors, less blending, and more mixed media.” Murals are meant to be experienced from a distance, which changes how she designs them.

A core theme in Colomba’s work is the deep connection between all living things. “I mostly talk about the relationship between every living thing including us, the animals, the earth, and sometimes even microfauna,” she explains. “I am really interested in the ‘oneness’ of our world.” This idea shaped Clean Streams, Happy Seals as well, highlighting how clean water is vital not just for humans, but for the seals and countless other creatures that depend on healthy ecosystems.

Painting outdoors on a textured catch basin added its own complexities. “Painting on very textured surfaces is hard! The rocky pebble sidewalk is not for the faint of heart,” she says. “It can also be very difficult on your body because you have to be bent over for hours on end in all sort of weird ways.”

For Colomba, public art is essential — especially in neighborhoods like this one. “Public art is for everyone. It doesn’t discriminate,” she says. In contrast to the often exclusive world of fine art, murals and street art meet people where they are. “That is so important in a world that has increasingly become more monotone and anti-social.” During the painting process, Colomba saw firsthand how a mural could spark community connection. “Multiple folks came out of their home wicked excited about how their neighborhood now had something beautiful to look at. People who came out at the same time started talking and just like that community was connected through art.” She also loves knowing that local kids will pass by the mural every day. “This particular location is also in front of a school, many kids will be passing by this mural every day and be able to see a new friend.”

The public response has been overwhelmingly positive. “People were thanking me for making their neighborhood more beautiful, commending me for being out all day in the burning sun, bringing me water, and offering me food.” Even in the early stages of the mural, the community’s encouragement was motivating. “It was heartwarming and reassuring to see how much the public was excited about this new addition.”

Her advice to aspiring artists is clear: “Stop giving yourself excuses of why it’s not gonna work and just get started!” She encourages others to seek opportunities and be persistent: “Hearing 40 different ‘no’s’ still makes it worth it when you get your first ‘yes’.”

“Clean Streams, Happy Seals” was created in collaboration with Worcester Green Corps, Sharinna Travieso, and the Worcester DPW. It is proudly supported by the Mass Cultural Council, the New England Grassroots Fund, and the FY25 State Earmark, allocated by Senator Mike Moore.

Next time you pass by “Clean Streams, Happy Seals,” take a moment to reflect on the message it carries: when we protect our water, we protect the world we all share.

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