Inspired by the chaotic yet harmonic visuals of the world, New York–based illustrator Violeta Encarnación embraces the idea of organic disorder as a way to express her love for detail. “When structuring a new image, I strive to use texture and color in an interesting way while keeping the composition dynamic and fresh, despite all its juxtaposing elements,” she explains. “Because I am so drawn to clutter and love to fixate on little areas that are interesting to me, I reel myself in while packing in a lot of detail and balance out the piece with graphic shapes that bring you into the image.” Having grown up in Cuba, Encarnación credits her childhood with informing her approach to creating visuals, noting Cuba’s lively culture against a backdrop of colonial and contemporary architecture. “In perfect harmony,” she describes her childhood country, “a diversity of colors, shapes and styles coexist and make a beautiful scene that, strangely, still feels cohesive. This chaotic belonging of different visual stimuli has interested and inspired me since I can remember, and it stands out to me wherever I go. I love the way life is a collage of many different things that still reads as one.” With the support of her parents—her father being an artist as well—and a BFA an illustration from the School of Visual Arts, Encarnación strives to have each of her projects convey aspects of the human experience. “It feels meaningful to help people connect to themselves and others through art,” she says. “Being able to awaken a feeling in seconds with a powerful image is, to me, the coolest job in the world, and I hope to do it for a long time.”