Mariana Prado, @glutenisfree is one of the artists that was featured in my virtual art exhibition which I will achieve and post up images if you missed it! From frogs, portraits, earrings, and so much more there is a lot to discover going through her page and the artwork she creates. This week's feature is Mariana Prado!
Mariana Prado, @glutenisfree
Mariana brings up her latest interests "I recently read 'A Quick and Easy Guide to Queer and Trans Identities' by Mady G. and J.R. Zuckerberg I have also been enjoying films by Ari Aster." That sounds really interesting and when it comes to Ari Aster the only movie I watched from him is Hereditary, but I have not finished it due to having to leave the house while watching it the one time I was watching it.
She goes on to name a couple of her favorite local artists being "Manuel Zamudio @raid_33, Jaden D. Blango @weird_mercury, Alejandra Martinez @44waterlilies, and Clarissa Tovar @au_fait_arts just to name a few." I do follow some of these well, actually a majority of these artists! The only one I have not heard of us is Manuel, but I'll be sure to check them out!
From our early beginnings to our earliest memory on how we began with our crafts Mariana says " when it comes to my first memory of art; it is very strange because I don't remember a lot of my early childhood. But my mom has told me that when I was in kinder I always enjoyed drawing and coloring. I think the first clear memory I have of me mindfully making art was when I was around 12 I started carrying around a sketchbook in school and would draw all the time." I have read a couple of artists having their early memories in kindergarten or their early years in school. I think it's good to be creative and expressive at an early age. Especially in your later years as well as Mariana shared "when I was around 12 I started carrying around a sketchbook" giving her outlet on the go. When I said, "I think it's good being creative and expressive at an early age" due to my experience as a Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator and working with students from Kinder to 5th grade and at the end of the day letting them color and draw really just put them at ease before the period that came afterward. I always find it nice reading things like this even from the past interviews of everyone starting off early, but even if you start "late" as long as you have fun and everything else that comes with it is all that matters.
As we spoke about her beginnings to now being the artist that she is what can be said about the changes if any that she's gone through as she mentions "I have changed a lot from when I started actively making art to now. I used to draw anime a lot, funny thing is I didn't even like anime, and I would often draw random pictures I would find that I thought were pretty. My work wasn't personal, I wasn't involved in the process. I do think it comes with growing up; I wasn't making it because I thought of it as a career or anything more than just me having fun. Now I have developed a practice that I am sure I will keep changing and developing, but I am in a place where my practice is an extension of myself." As Mariana mentions the fun being had in her work along with "I am sure I will keep changing and developing" which is certainly due to any moment in time that involves experimentation or new ideas being implemented or just as Mariana grows so will her art.
From all the pieces of artwork, she shares by saying "my favorite piece so far is an oil painting I did titled 'Madonna'. It was one of my first portraits where I used technical skill and creativity. Here is where I introduced my typical backgrounds on a portrait. I believe it was a turning point in my work where I began to develop a more consistent practice." As she states "I believe it was a turning point in my work" which is an important statement because at one point or another we have our "turning points" or even as a creative we grow and incorporate whatever we want into our work as long as we are having "fun." Portraits don't have to be just a still image, but looking at Mariana's portraits they certainly have character and they pop! You can see the detail in the background and even in the portrait itself. There is a lot to take in and see for yourself in the images provided by Mariana for this blog post.
From portraits to sketches, and paintings what can be said about Mariana's art style? She explains by saying "I don't think I can define my art style. I really enjoy realism with a mix of abstraction (mostly featured in the background). However, I enjoy making all types of art, not just oil painting. Even realism can't define style; each artist has their own hand which becomes evident when looking at their work. That's how one can identify who rendered a portrait, for example, even if it does depict realism. By developing a practice the viewer will identify your work by the way you paint not just what you paint. So, I believe style comes down to the process and development of a practice." As time goes on you can maybe pinpoint your "art style" and so will others, as well as I, do agree with "by developing practice the viewer will identify your work" as this is something @cam.leeart spoke about in the last interview about wanting her work to be easily distinguished that it's hers. Going through Instagram it is possible, due to seeing all the art and skipping over the names I can make sense of how's art it is by the style or as Mariana puts it "by the way you paint."
From everything she creates and including her "turning point" being a portrait as stated she says "my favorite things to paint are portraits. I have always been interested in portraiture; there is something connecting you with a living being, even if it is a projection on a canvas, there is a self awareness that is associated with a subject of a painting having "the gaze". There is a psychological development within the viewer; as humans long for a connecting. Having a painting stare back at you triggers this interest. I began to illustrate mushrooms after I became interested in 60s and 70s fashion and decor. I take a lot of inspiration from different time periods. From the Edwardian and Victorian era; to more modern ones like the 70s. I started to incorporate mushrooms into a lot of my works as they are a magical symbol of not only life but death." When it comes to Mariana's portraits and her other work as well I have noticed the inclusion of mushrooms and mushroom related works, but of course, some things aren't always just because just like @44waterlilies using the "44" and the "easel" in her works as symbols. Mariana using the mushroom as a symbol as well as bring's another idea when looking at her work. When she mentions "not only life and death" it makes me think the word "decomposers" when it comes to that and the implementation of the mushroom.
Looking through her artwork and her Etsy account which can be found in her bio. I stumbled upon Furbies. Not just a Furby, but rather interesting creations! She explains these Furbies by saying "Furbies go back to my interest in antique and vintage items. I collect toys from a lot of different time periods and furbies are one of them" but as you also scroll more you'll find earrings as well, but not just any earrings as she says "When it comes to earrings I don't know what I'll make next. I really just do them as a fun pastime; I enjoy creating things and sometimes you just need something to have fun." It's all just really interesting creations.
With all the work she has created is there anything new she would like to try? Mariana says "I used to only make 2D art, but when I started college I started making some 3D work. I have made some pretty small sculptures, and I've even made a puppet. So it isn't something new I want to try, but something I would like to do more. I really would like to make more puppets." I'd say go for it! The more the merrier! Puppets are super cool and I recall seeing the Mushroom wall piece created by Mariana which was fascinating as well.
I usually see Mariana post pics of sketches from her sketchbook and how big it's gotten from everything that's been put in it and she says "The "Book" pages are from a sketchbook necessarily. This project is one I have been working in for quite some time as I do work on it sporadically. It is more of a collage book where I collect things from my day-to-day life and stick them inside the book. For example, one of the pages is covered in receipts, some pages have candy wrappers, cereal boxes, tickets or flyers from places I've visited, etc. My favorite pages are the "collect one color pages". I dedicate pages to collecting small items and papers of a certain color; or I have even done rainbow. Those pages take a while since I am exclusively adding items of a single designated color. This project is inspired by artists like Linda Pace; I had the opportunity to see her work at Artpace in San Antonio. With this project I aim to bring purpose to items that are otherwise discarded and seen as one-time-use." Just knowing what this sketchbook holds is just amazing and the amount of work going in it. I hope one day when it's "complete" we may be able to see what it holds from its beginning to end.
Mariana ends by saying "that the valley is full of wonderful, driven people that have immense potential. I enjoy seeing all of us grow."
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