Ariana Balakrishnan is an Indian-American artist from the Austin, Texas area. She currently attends Columbia University in the class of 2027 and is majoring in political science with an intended concentration in Business Management. Previously, she attended Cedar Park High School, where she was heavily involved in student government and the art society.

In early 2019, Ariana began the initial steps of what would later become her non-profit, Colors of Mind. Officially created in 2021, Colors of Mind is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that partners with licensed and board-certified art therapists to help children have access to art as a mental health aid in the Austin area. Ariana began running the organization after school and on weekends, and now she plans to expand Colors of Mind nationally.

Ariana has received multiple district and state-wide awards for her art over the past few years. Her portfolio, Divinities Collided: An Exploration of the Catholic and Hindu Intersection, was recognized and presented school-wide.

Ariana’s artistic interests lie in how human beliefs can be both organically and geometrically showcased through design. She uses the face, less as a focal point and more as a motif, as she continues to explore her interests in the art world.