Elizabeth Lerena is a Mexican-American acrylic painter currently based in the Central Coast. Lerena’s work dives into the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings of identity and the unknown future. Through the language of color and symbolism, Lerena utilizes those methods to emphasize the messages of her paintings. Being a daughter of Mexican immigrants, it's not commonly accepted to express negative emotions. She wants her work to break the barriers of expression to people who are facing similar struggles and open the conversation for reflection.