About Astrid Moreno

I am Karen Astrid Moreno Palacios, a Salvadoran painter based in San Salvador, El Salvador. I sign my work as Astrid. I primarily work with oil and mixed media.

After years devoted to investigative journalism and the study of politics, in February 2026 I found in painting a personal space to explore themes such as vulnerability, grief, adaptation, loneliness, uncertainty, and hope.

Through symbolism, I explore how we try to inhabit a life that is constantly changing and how we continue moving forward, even when the world we once knew has disappeared. I want people to find a sense of hope in my paintings.

Creative Process

My paintings begin with images that emerge into my mind—often in dreams—which I then paint in order to understand their meaning. I prepare the canvas and create a sketch, either in a notebook or directly on the canvas. I then build the work layer by layer, allowing the drying time of the oil paint to determine the pace of the process. Finally, each piece is finished with a retouching varnish.

My artistic practice has been self-taught, guided by intuition.