Maria Llanos: Artere Zone

By Olga L. O’Hearn

The key to María Llanos’ success relies on her capacity to adapt to new environments and reinvent herself. In the course of two years, since arriving to Washington, DC from Venezuela, this industrial engineer and photographer has been able to establish her own business and open the doors to others with the same creative passion as herself.

She is the founder and CEO of Artere Zone, a full-service photography, video, and graphic design company that specializes in private and corporate events. Working with a team of professionals who she considers family, María is able to capture moments that will last a lifetime.

She loves what she does, and it is the opportunity to capture human emotions that brings her joy. “I feel responsible that the story remains written through images,” she states. And that might be because, although fluent in English and Spanish, she has found that the best forms of expression come through the stories she tells via the lenses of her camera.

Photography has always been María’s passion; she inherited it from her father. But just like her mother, she is also driven and focused. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a full-time activity that allows her to combine her training as an engineer and her passion for photography, for composition. “I understand today that my brain is half scientific and half artistic,” she emphasizes. She can plan, execute, and manage a project; however, she is very conscious that she is able to create because of her sensibility and response to the environment and to people.

María started her business with an old camera she brought from Venezuela. Today, Artere Zone uses state-of-the-art equipment needed for all of its projects. Nevertheless, that old camera is still part of María’s story and family; it was a gift to her niece who is now an amateur photographer. Family is everything for María; it is her greatest asset, her source of inspiration, and the energy needed to work and succeed.

Colombia is close to María’s heart. She feels at home there every time she has the opportunity to visit. She had heard about PorColombia DC through some acquaintances and decided to become an active member at the beginning of this year. When asked what advice she would give to those who recently moved to or are starting a business in the Washington, DC area, she does not hesitate to say: learn English, make an effort to understand this community, find legal advice to ensure you are complying with the law, use the resources that are available to you, and network!

In the future, she hopes to open up a space in her company for children with special needs in honor of the memory of her niece who can no longer enjoy María’s artistic creations. For more information about Artere Zone, please visit www.arterezone.com or contact María directly at info@arterezone.com or (202) 855-6167. Welcome to PorColombia DC, María! We are glad you are here!