Hello

Introducing D.R.E.A.M. Affect Foundation, a charitable art organization dedicated to using the power of art to empower and inspire! Our dynamic team is made up of Bisong Art Gallery owner, Carla Bisong, and professional artist, Lauren Luna, who work hard to ensure that we are making a positive impact in our community.

Carla Bisong

Carla Bisong, owner of Bisong Art Gallery is a fine art dealer located in downtown Houston's historic Warehouse District. The longest-running black woman-owned for-profit art gallery in Houston Texas. Founded in December 2012, Carla has always had a passion for the arts. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Marketing but pursued art externally as a well-needed balance.

Born in Detroit Michigan and migrated to Houston Texas as a young girl with her family in the early 1980s. From 2007 to 2013, she worked for Merrill Lynch Commodities on the origination desk as business support and transitioned to working for Goldman Sachs in the Natural Resources division before following her dream of being a Gallerist.

While working in corporate America she never lost her zeal for the arts.

Operating an art gallery in Houston Texas has allowed her to place beautiful & unique original artwork in the homes of art collectors, small businesses, public art, retail, and large corporations. Artists affiliated with Bisong Art Gallery have participated in global art exhibitions, museums, universities, public art displays, and murals locally and internationally.

Carla is currently the President of the Houston Art Gallery Association. The Houston Art Gallery Association (HAGA) consists of member fine art galleries, mutually supportive, with recognized integrity, expertise, specialized knowledge, and reputation supporting a culturally and ethnically diverse blend of local, national, and international artists at all levels of experience and art mediums.

Our vision is to promote Houston as a destination for the arts. HAGA is a 501(c)(6) organization.

Carla enjoys giving back by sharing her wisdom and experience in business and art through speaking engagements, online courses, and workshops.

Lauren Luna

Lauren Luna is a master painter born in Columbus, Ohio, with a BFA and MFA in painting. She launched her art career in New York City and now lives in Houston, where she’s known as “Your City Painter,” specializing in iconic city architecture and urban landscapes.

Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at Germany’s Grassi Museum, and featured in British Vogue, Glamour, and on billboards across Houston. She was named a Top 50 Entrepreneur by Scion and received the Margot Siegel Award for Design, with her hand-painted shoes held in the Goldstein Museum’s permanent collection.

Lauren was honored with the Kent State University Alumni Professional Achievement Award and recognized with “Lauren Luna Day” by the City of Houston for her contributions to public art. Her efforts were also acknowledged in the Congressional Record by a Texas state representative.

As a passionate educator, she’s taught at Lone Star and San Jacinto colleges and remains committed to mentoring the next generation of artists. In 2019, she founded the D.R.E.A.M. Affect Foundation to support minority art students and promote equity in the arts.

Lauren believes public art should spark conversation and community pride. A vocal advocate for inclusion, she uses her platform to empower others and foster creativity across all backgrounds.