A curious hybrid of urban and rural, Carmen is a recipe that calls for equal parts concrete and pasture, glass and steel and rough-hewn beams. Growing up, she spent her time shuttling between her family's farm in West Virginia and the vibrant, diverse cultures of her home in Washington, D.C. Her father's Puerto Rican background and mother's Slovak heritage further instilled a deep appreciation for diversity in her from an early age. Bridging distinct worlds and honoring their unique elements governs her life outlook and directly informs her artistic practice.

Trained as a designer, sculptor, and architect, she has a varied background spanning architecture, landscape design, and product design. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture and Art History from the Rhode Island School of Design 1997 and a Masters of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in 2005. Since 1999 Carmen and her husband and partner, Caleb Siemon, have been working, living, and making art together. They are the design duo behind United Glassblowing and the lighting brand, Siemon & Salazar which focused on handblown glass rooted in modern minimalism. Their work embraced the Muranese traditions and Scandinavian aesthetics combined with the couple’s love for the culture and landscape of California. In 2022 after two decades at the UGB studio, the pair closed up shop and sold their glass studio and lighting company. Now free from the constraints of a production studio, Carmen is exploring new mediums and ways of art making that are anchored in her roots. Her current assemblages use glass, metal, and found objects and are inspired by the natural forms and artifacts of the ocean.