Kanasta Art is an Arvada-based artisan studio where the everyday becomes extraordinary. Kanasta Art specializes in handcrafted, art-filled treasures: from paper collages and mixed-media works to personalized jewelry boxes and memory vignettes.
“We love surprises,” says Kanasta Art creator and owner, German Murillo, who grew up in Colombia. “Some of my happiest childhood memories are filled with gifts and celebrations, moments that now feel distant, not only in time but also across geography. When the opportunity came, opening a gift shop felt like the most natural choice. But it couldn’t be just any gift shop. It had to be fresh, meaningful, and rooted in a new concept.
For years I had been painting, collaging, crafting, decorating, building, working with photography, advertising, and design, even modeling and creating dioramas. I noticed friends and neighbors constantly attending celebrations, eager to give something special to their loved ones. They wanted gifts that carried meaning, but lacked the time to search, wrap, and deliver them. That’s when Kanasta was born.”
What makes Kanasta gifts and art unique?
German: When we began, our gift shop was simply a space to share handcrafted items infused with art. I was doing what I love, painting, collaging, crafting, and soon our neighbors embraced those pieces. I’ve always been an artist shaped by multicultural spaces, and Kanasta became the natural extension of that journey. The hardest part wasn’t making the gifts; it was building a business around them. I wasn’t trained as a businessman or entrepreneur, so creating a structure that could hold the dream was a monumental task. Even something as simple as putting together the online store took nearly a year. But it was worth it.
What makes Kanasta special is not just that our gifts are handmade, customizable, or beautifully wrapped in baskets, or even that we personally deliver them. The heart of Kanasta is that every piece is made with love and intention.
The most rewarding part of this work is the collaboration with each customer, listening to the story behind their gift, and shaping something meaningful with their loved one in mind. When we deliver, and both the giver and the receiver share that moment of joy, we know we’ve helped create a connection worth celebrating. The same is true for our corporate gifts: they are designed to honor employees and strengthen client relationships in ways that last.
What is something surprising people may not know about you?
Most people don’t know I was born in the tropics and grew up surrounded by folk dances, colors, and music, so I sometimes break into dance when no one’s watching!
What does “belonging” mean to you, and how can organizations create that for their people or the broader community?
Becoming an immigrant teaches you the meaning of belonging in a very real way. When you migrate, you leave much behind. You belong nowhere, and nothing belongs to you. You must start again from scratch. The things you once took for granted, family nearby, friendships formed over years, are suddenly gone. It takes time, often years, to feel you belong. But migration also brings something powerful: every person carries unique experiences, knowledge, and perspectives. That diversity is what has built this country and others, and continues to enrich our communities. In today’s world, where so many people are on the move, it’s time to rethink how we welcome and connect with one another.
Why do you think it is important to promote inclusion in the greater Arvada business community?
Inclusion is not just a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential, especially in a growing and diverse city like Arvada. When businesses make all people feel welcome, neighbors are more likely to connect with them, support them, and return. Inclusion builds trust and loyalty, not only between customers and businesses, but among businesses themselves. Our community is beautifully diverse across age, culture, language, and background. To reflect that diversity in the way we work and collaborate is to strengthen the very fabric of Arvada. Inclusive networks help small businesses grow by opening doors and creating connections we might not have found otherwise. Through the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce, we have met people from so many different industries, and yet we all feel part of the same community.
Arvada is a place that celebrates local spirit and multicultural voices. Promoting inclusion ensures that every business and every neighbor can contribute to that story. For us at Kanasta, it means creating gifts and experiences that honor individuality while bringing people together, because that is how community truly flourishes.
Do you have a favorite book, podcast, social media account, or news resource related to inclusion and belonging?
I don’t really follow the daily news. Instead, I turn to history and art. History podcasts are my companions, at the top DianaUribe.fm (for audiences in Spanish), they remind us that inclusion and belonging are not new struggles, they are threads running through every society across time. When we look closely at history, we see how often things have been done wrong, and how much harm was caused when voices were excluded or silenced. But history also shows us resilience, creativity, and the moments when people chose a different path, one of empathy, openness, and connection. I also find belonging in art. Art has always been humanity’s way of expressing difference and similarity at once, even when for centuries many were excluded from the practice of art. Folk dances, paintings, architecture, music, they carry the memory of cultures, but they also invite others in. Art makes room. It allows us to see through another’s eyes, even just for a moment, and that is where inclusion begins. So while I may not have many resources to point to, I believe the true “resource” is the practice of looking back, listening deeply, and translating those lessons into today. For Kanasta, that means creating gifts that don’t just sit on a shelf but carry a story, objects that celebrate both individuality and connection, reminding us that we all belong to something greater together.
Inclusion is a core value of the Greater Arvada Chamber, which strives to empower new perspectives, solutions, and opportunities for our local economy and to serve as a champion for advancing all businesses and employees in Arvada. If you know a business or individual deserving of a spotlight, please contact Ryan Hecht at ryan@arvadachamber.org.
Learn more at arvadachamber.org/inclusion.
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