From Student to Mentor:
The Full Circle Journey of Steven Molina Contreras

Photographer and educator Steven Molina Contreras has seen Anderson Ranch from many angles—as a student, Visiting Artist, Guest Faculty, and youth instructor.

In 2025 alone, he returned three times in different capacities, reflecting the Ranch’s full-circle approach to creative community. We spoke with him about his journey, mentorship, and what it means to see his story come together here.

Q: What was your entry point to the Ranch?

Steven: My journey at the Ranch started with Andrea Jenkins Wallace (Vice President of Artistic Affairs at Anderson Ranch), who discovered my work and helped me get connected. Without her, I wouldn’t have found my way in. My first visit was as a Guest Faculty member in 2023, where I got to design and teach a class about the relationship between words and pictures.

Being welcomed as a teacher gave me a real sense of belonging and set the stage for everything that’s come since. That early connection—having someone believe in you—has become part of the circle I try to pay forward.

Q: You’ve filled so many roles at the Ranch—Guest Faculty, Visiting Artist, scholarship student, and Community Outreach programming with Bridges High School. Of all of these, which was the most meaningful?

Steven: Any time I get to be an educator is the most meaningful. I really like working with the kids’ programs. I remember being that age, a Latin migrant student in a new system, sometimes feeling misunderstood. Stepping into a role where I can make space for these students or help open a creative path feels especially important to me.

At the same time, teaching young people is nerve-wracking—kids are honest, sometimes disinterested, and sometimes incredibly curious. That honesty keeps me humble and energized.

With youth, you’re shaping something together in real time, and that’s different from teaching adults who often have set perspectives.

It fulfills me to share what I care about with the next generation. It also reminds me of my own teachers and professors who encouraged me to keep going, even when my work was still rough. That full circle—receiving encouragement, then returning it to others—that’s where so much meaning lies for me here.

Photo: Bridges Students, Carbondale Colorado, 2025, in Collaboration with Artist Steven Molina Contreras.

Q: You recently came to the Ranch as a Visiting Artist and worked with students at Bridges High School. What was that like?

Steven: With the Bridges students, I built our work around mirrors and reflections, which is drawn from my own practice. Reflections add layers—inviting students to tell stories visually and symbolically. I encouraged them to use car windows, mirrors in bathrooms, phone screens, sunglasses—whatever felt genuine. Reflections became a way into picture-making, since a straight portrait can feel intimidating. It also let us talk about identity in a generation deeply familiar with selfies and digital images.

By looking at details from daily life—a rosary on a rearview mirror, friends giving each other haircut, the students were encouraged to realize that their lives were full of stories worth sharing. That process made photography accessible and deeply personal.

Photo: Bridges Students, Carbondale Colorado, 2025, in Collaboration with Artist Steven Molina Contreras.

Q: Tell us about a specific student who surprised you.

Steven: There was a young man in the class I first thought might be hard to reach. He came in a bit reserved, maybe even skeptical, like some of the other students who weren’t quite sure what to make of a guest instructor from New York and all the ideas I brought with me. But as we started working, he quickly became one of the most engaged in the group.

He brought his car to class, which turned out to be a catalyst not just for his own creativity but for others as well. What made the experience memorable was the way he took creative initiative with the details. He had a rosary that usually hung from his rearview mirror, and instead of just photographing it as it was, he decided to hang it on the car’s bumper for a photo. That choice had its own flair—it was stylish, a bit unexpected, and added a personal touch.

Watching him move from cautious participant to someone who set the tone and inspired others was powerful. As a facilitator, I could offer prompts and encouragement, but the most meaningful results always come when students make their own choices and discoveries.

This collaboration was so memorable because it unfolded in a way I couldn’t have scripted.

It was a reminder that sometimes you just create the right environment, step back, and let the students lead—and that’s when the most genuine work happens.

Photo: Bridges Students, Carbondale Colorado, 2025, in Collaboration with Artist Steven Molina Contreras.

Q: Tell us about an unlikely friendship or connection made at the Ranch that continues.

Steven: The most unlikely thing, honestly, is just that I’m here at all. When I finished undergrad, I never would have guessed Anderson Ranch would become central to my story. Andrea’s invitation changed everything; her belief in my work opened the door. Once here, what felt unlikely at first quickly became natural. The artistic staff—Esther, Laura, Emil, Andrew, Lane, and Andrea—are people I call friends. I also stay in touch with students from my first class, and some have become colleagues in the field. Even Trevor Paglen—from taking his workshop to running into him in New York—has become a connection I value.

We went from the roles of student and teacher to seeing each other working out in the field. That kind of ongoing relationship, born from a chance meeting here, completes the circle for me.

Q: It sounds like you’re the epitome of what it means to be “full circle” at the Ranch, right?

Steven: Yeah, I feel like the only thing I’m missing is being an employee here or maybe doing the Artist-in-Residence program. But who knows—maybe that’s where the next circle begins.

When supporters step in, the circle continues—keeping access, mentorship, and art-making alive for the next generation.

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