Location: Colombia
Colombian Artist and Lawyer
I am an artist who has woven her story with threads of passion, dedication, and resilience.
Although my academic journey began at Universidad de La Sabana, where I earned degrees in International Business Administration and Law —both completed with excellence and a merit-based scholarship— and later obtained an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid, my true essence has always been rooted in art.
Since childhood, the canvas has been my refuge and my most authentic voice. While my professional path included experience in law firms, oil and gas companies, and real estate ventures, those chapters became complementary dimensions of who I am. The narrative that truly defines me is made of brushstrokes, colors, and textures that speak the language of my life.
In parallel, I chose to practice Family Law, where I found a deeper purpose: to defend and accompany women in vulnerable situations. Far from distancing me from art, this mission nourished it, for every painting I create carries an implicit commitment to female resilience and strength.
My passion lies in transforming struggle into symbols of empowerment. In every exhibition, I seek to tell stories of strong, courageous, and free women, merging the language of art with my own lived experience. Two worlds that may appear distant —law and art— converge in a single pursuit: to bear witness to the transformative power of the feminine spirit.
In the artistic realm, I have had the privilege of exhibiting in Tokyo, Mexico, Miami, and Rome, at the Venanzo Crocetti Museum. In July 2023, I brought my work to the Beka Museum at Rockefeller Center in New York, becoming the first Colombian artist to exhibit there. Seeing my paintings illuminate the Nasdaq screens in Times Square was profoundly symbolic — a Colombian woman’s voice shining at the heart of the world.
My next milestone is the Salon d’Automne in Paris (October 28 – November 2, 2025). To participate in this historic institution, founded in 1903, is both an honor and a confirmation of the global reach of Colombian art. The Salon d’Automne has hosted legendary artists such as Picasso, Cézanne, Modigliani, Renoir, and Rodin, and now my work will share that lineage. For me, this exhibition represents not only an artistic achievement but also a dialogue between my identity, my homeland, and the world — a bridge where Colombia’s voice meets the legacy of universal art.
My work has been featured in Forbes, La República, El Tiempo, El Espectador, and Semana, recognized for its authenticity and the strength of its feminine perspective that transcends borders. In December 2023, Forbes named me one of the 50 most creative Colombian women in the world, and on August 12, 2025, the Council of Bogotá awarded me the José Acevedo y Gómez Civil Order of Merit (Silver Cross) for my contribution to art and law in Colombia.
These milestones affirm my belief that creativity, when born from vulnerability, becomes a transformative force.
My eternal gratitude goes to my father, Hernán Panesso, who from my earliest years recognized in me a special gift for art. He dreamed that I would become an artist and became my most demanding critic, teaching me that discipline is the path to turning a dream into a life project. His early departure led me to pause my artistic journey, but time brought back the certainty that painting was, above all, a way to honor his legacy.
Today, my exhibitions are a living tribute to my mother, Esther Elena Mercado Jaraba, from whom I adopted my artistic name, MERCADO. She has been my source of strength, courage, and determination. Through my art, I hope others can recognize themselves in their passions, embrace their roots, and dare to forge their own paths.
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