SUEÑOS DE TRANSFORMACIÓN (DREAMS OF TRANSFORMATION)

MAY 2026

Artwork by Missy Arellano

ON VIEW ALONG JFK STREET AROUND THE ELIOT HOUSE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, CAMBRIDGE

Missy Arellano’s collage practice explores identity, pressure, and transformation through layered and unexpected imagery. In her paper doll series, women become larger than life, reclaiming space as they move through imagined, celestial environments.

This work intersects with Test Anxiety, developed during her time at Harvard, where scantron sheets are overlaid with butterflies, insects, and amphibians, interrupting systems of evaluation with symbols of growth and change.

By bringing these worlds together, Missy challenges societal expectations and reimagines the structures that shape our lives, using tension and contrast to create space for new, more expansive narratives.

“Each collage felt like I was assembling fragments of forgotten dreams, transforming chaos into cosmic order.”

About the artist

Missy Arellano is a native Angeleno now working in Cambridge, MA. She is a community artivist whose work explores themes of motherhood, being queer and disabled, and surviving trauma across multiple disciplines. Through analog collage & photography, she plays with paper to unfold and understand her dreams, creating a living archive for her son and family. Collaging and photography are more than an art practice; they are a form of meditation and reflection, and a way to activate and amplify the stories of her ancestors.

With over two decades of experience in the arts, Missy has contributed to a wide range of creative initiatives, from facilitating and designing children’s programming in museums to managing artists at festivals, fundraising for public television, and teaching young children about contemporary art. She has exhibited work and facilitated arts workshops in California, Massachusetts, and Louisiana. Her current work focuses on creative placemaking and inclusivity in public spaces. She hosts collage gatherings to foster dialogue on the intersection of community, play, and creativity. Through her collage practice, she prompts participants to envision, dream, and build more inclusive and vibrant urban spaces.

Missy holds a BA in Art History and French from California State University, Long Beach (2014), an MPA from the University of Southern California (2021), and an Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education (2024).

Artist Q&A

How would you describe your connection to the Allston/Brighton and/or Harvard creative community?

I’ve connected to the creative community through attending Zone 3 events, and participating in a Harvard-affiliated program.

What inspires you these days?

I draw inspiration from my walks, meditation, riding my bike, reading, and my son. Being outside and prioritizing regular and consistent time for myself are crucial to my creative process. I am lucky to have learned that this process works for me and to have had a consistent practice for the last two decades. Growing up in Southern California, I was fortunate to always be outside. It has been harder out here during the colder months, but I lean on periods of reading and writing to help me grapple with the physical limitations of not being able to be outside all the time. Playing with my son is also a great source of inspiration. Getting on the ground and building next to him or just watching his creative process unfold feeds my soul. I feel lucky to have a pure ball of creative energy at my fingertips, and I try to spend as much time as I can unlocking those doors and listening to his ideas and dreams.

What is your favorite piece of public art in the area?

I have a special place in my heart for the Wish You Were Here mural in Allston by Tianna Rivera. My son visited this piece with his preschool class in 2023 when they were learning about public art, and he loves showing it to me and talking about it.

In the summer of 2025, we went on a photo walk with a friend, and my son took many Polaroid photos of this wall. It is associated with several joyful memories, particularly highlighting the importance of public art for children. It’s fun, vibrant, and funky, all characteristics I love to see in public art.

What is your dream creative project?

I would love to work on a collaborative community mural in Cambridge. It would be cool to incorporate my background in black and white analog photography. I would want it to focus on the community, taking people on street photography walks with film cameras. I am curious to see what they find important and valuable in their community, and how they want it represented creatively, especially for young children and families. We spend so much time online today, and it’s inevitable that our children will grapple with the same idea of existing in the real world and online. I’d like to explore how we can connect, grow, and learn from each other in real life. Our online communities are important; they help us grow our circles beyond our physical boundaries, but they should not replace in-person experiences. I couldn’t imagine anything more exciting for a child to see their visions and art reflected in the community, and if I can do anything for the children of Cambridge, that would be one thing I’d like to do.