When asked to define herself in one word, she hesitated. I could tell why after finishing an exclusive interview with her. One word would not define Luana Barcelos, a 21-year-old freelance artist, and muralist, with a contagious passion for the freedom that art brings into her life. She was selected and granted an award by the City of Danbury to design and paint a 45-foot mural celebrating the life and legacy of classical singer and civil rights pioneer, Marian Anderson.  

While Luana was born in Margate, Florida, she has been living in Danbury since she was 2 years old. Her parents, Marcio Barcelos and Maira Fongari, instilled in Luana and her sister, Victoria, a love for their Brazilian heritage, teaching both to speak Portuguese fluently.  

As a fifth-grader, Luana found her passion for art by working on the Aesop’s Fables project, The Lion and the Mouse, with her art teacher, who was impressed with her natural talent. “She told me to draw some more. So, I was like, ‘Oh shoot, I guess I am good.’ So that's when, I guess, the spark first happened.” 

Her first mural was painted at Danbury High School in her sophomore year English class. “I had a teacher named Janet John, who was super amazing. We were close, and we were learning about Banksy, a famous street artist who makes public art that really calls people's attention. It's like a call to action.” Luana replicated Banksy’s iconic piece- Rage, the Flower Thrower, for her very first mural. 

Luana has also painted large-scale murals for the University of Connecticut, Wellmore Behavioral Health, and businesses like Matteo’s Multicultural Market in Danbury, and The Cosmopolitan Salon in Brewster, among many others.   

In May, she received her Business Administration degree from the University of Connecticut's School of Business and intends to use that knowledge as a foundation to run her own business. 

You're Going to Be Part of History  

When asked how she felt about painting history as she becomes part of it, Luana took a deep breath. 

“It's almost intimidating because I am so young. And I feel I've done several projects before, but this was the one [in which] I felt, I really must prove myself. Take all the guns out, give everything I have.” 

“When I'm up there, I just keep reminding myself how crazy it's going to be driving down the streets of Danbury that I had always driven, that I always drive by and be like, ‘Oh my gosh – this is me.’ It's a very humbling yet gratifying feeling.”  

The Marian Anderson Mural Through Luana’s Eyes: 

Luana narrated her vision of Marian Anderson: 

“I found out that she was a very humble woman who made her presence known. She was one of those people who walked into the room, and everybody looked at her. She had that beautiful radiance about her.  

This mural is about an incredible [strong] woman, and I just want to embrace the femininity of it, embrace the womanhood of it. And I'm a woman painting a mural in honor of a woman. So, I might as well go all out, make it pink, make it red. Why not? 

Ms. Anderson was the first African American woman to have an open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial. I wanted to include that. I had my first initial design, and then I changed it because the selective committee asked me to make it more about Danbury. 

I found out that she had established the Music Center in Danbury. What a great way to tie it all in. And then at the bottom of the Music Center, there's going to be a bush of yellow flowers. And the yellow flowers have their own little significance too. Because when she was in Danbury, she had a group of secret admirers who found out that her favorite color was yellow, and they would mail her a bouquet of yellow roses every week. 

Everything in it has meaning. It's all connected.” 

It's been super cool too to educate people as they walk by. Everyone asks, ‘Who is this? Why is Lincoln up there? What's that building?’"  

Pedro Ferreira, Luana’s boyfriend, is her great supporter. “He is here every day, kind of doing the heavy lifting. When I finish, he'll help me unload and load my car, which is a big help. He's literally the backbone of this whole operation.” 

The unveiling of the mural is on Sunday, July 10 at 2 pm at 300 Main Street, in Danbury. 

One-Word definition 

As to the question at the beginning of our interview, in one word, Luana describes herself as a friend. 

“With whoever I meet, whoever I'm talking to, I feel like I always have a tendency to want to be everyone's friend.” 

What Comes Next 

Auditioning for the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut Danbury Fair Mural Project is part of Luana’s plan. Up to $17,000 has been approved for an 1800-square-foot Wall Mural in the Lord and Taylor corridor. The project’s theme is Sustainable Environment and Social Emergence–to inspire balance, hope, and connection.