For most of her life, Arionna Goffinet thrived in the heat of a kitchen.
Originally from Bloomington, Ind., she moved to Colorado Springs four years ago, bringing with her a fierce work ethic and embedding herself in the downtown restaurant scene. Goffinet explains how she was raised by her grandmothers, Yaya and Mimi, and gives them credit for instilling in her not only work ethic, but also respect and kindness.
Although she has always been creative and drawn to art, she gives her Auntie Monique, Momo, credit for fostering this path in her life. She remembers receiving art supplies for all of the big holidays and spending time with Momo experimenting with multiple mediums.
Painting as an Outlet
At 15, Goffinet started building her career behind the scenes in the back-of-house kitchen work at a variety of restaurants including roles from line cook to sous chef. Navigating her own mental health journey, Goffinet turned to painting as a powerful outlet to process and heal. What began as a cathartic escape on her one day off in a 60-hour work week quickly turned into a calling.
It was while working at one of these restaurants that she met her wife, Olga. Olga had a behind-the-scenes peek at all of Goffinet's work, recognized the talent and potential and encouraged her to share her art with the world by starting with her city.
When Goffinet walked out of the kitchen for the last time in 2023, she stepped fully into a new kind of heat—one fueled by color, emotion and creativity.
“I thought being an artist meant painting alone in my attic with Judge Judy on,” she laughs. “Now I’m out at shows, doing events. It’s wild.”
Working in fast-paced kitchens surrounded by people and controlled chaos, Goffinet now found herself at home, painting what she felt as she felt it.
“For the first six months, I didn’t even know what my style was,” she notes.
Changing Seasons
Her early pieces were raw and introspective—an emotional response to a life in flux. One day, not long after the loss of her beloved cat and constant companion, Raja Gemini, Goffinet stood on her porch, quietly reflecting on the weight of it all. As if on cue, a windstorm swept through. In that moment, she chose to see it as a release—as if the universe were clearing the slate, carrying away the heaviness and signaling the start of a new season.
Her breakout moment came just six days after her Zodiac Collection debuted at The Platte Collections Gallery, when a collector came through and bought the entire series. Since then, she’s produced multiple powerful bodies of work including the Femme Fatale series, and the Black & White Collection.
Goffinet’s distinct pop art style stands out. But make no mistake, there is soul in each stroke of the brush. Inspired by a circle of strong women in her life, each face has a story.
“These aren’t fantasy women,” she says. “They’re the women you see at the grocery store. On the sidewalk. They're powerful because they’re real.”
Her work isn’t just visual, it’s emotional. It’s her therapy, and she hopes it becomes comfort for others, too.
Art as Comfort
“I just want people to feel less alone when they see my work,” she says. “I’ve felt alone. And if someone can feel understood, or strong, or seen because of a painting? That’s everything.”
In 2023, Goffinet officially left kitchens behind to become a full-time artist. July 2025 will mark one full year since she sold her first piece of art. And with a major show planned at Platte Collections Gallery in April and May 2026 featuring a new Tarot Card Series, plus ongoing additions to her Femme Fatale and Gods & Monsters collections, she’s just warming up.
Website: https://www.artworkbyarionna.net/
Facebook: @Arionna.Goffinet
Instagram: @ArtworkByArionna