Clarissa Banos is a visual artist originally from El Salvador, whose artwork focuses on traditional Latin American culture and folklore as well as in female portraiture.Her ancestral heritage is what inspires her bold and colourful paintings: 
She is passionate about the magnificence of indigenous civilizations of the Ancient Americas and particularly intrigued by the Pre- Hispanic iconography found in ancient textiles of Mexico, Central America and South America. 


In addition, Banos pays tribute to the wisdom, strength and resilience of indigenous women, portraying them as the axis of vibrant and mystical universe in celebration of Latin America’s idiosyncrasies, popular culture and folklore.Her academic credentials include a BFA in Graphic Design, from Universidad Dr. Jose Matias Delgado, El Salvador, and a MFA in Graphic Design and Illustration, from University of Illinois at Chicago, where she graduated as a Fulbright LASPAU Scholarship grantee. Her professional background combines over 25 years of experience as a graphic designer, visual artist and visual arts instructor.

Clarissa’s artwork has been exhibited, both, in solo and group exhibitions in various cities around the world, including San Salvador, Vancouver, Chicago, New York, Milan, Canary Islands and Barcelona and her paintings can now be found in private art collections in Central and South America, United States, Canada and Europe.
 She moved to New Westminster, BC, in 2001, where she now lives and works as a visual artist and visual arts instructor.