Biography
Mari earned her B.F.A. in Painting and Drawing from the Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA. Growing up in a home filled with art and music, and surrounded by strong, resilient women, including her grandmother, the first female pilot of Venezuela and sometimes the subject of her paintings, Mari’s artistic voice has always been rooted in heritage and empowerment. Her figurative paintings, recently expanding from portraiture to exploring figurative themes inspired by her Venezuelan childhood, have been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout New York’s Hudson Valley and sold at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City. Published in multiple art books and magazines, her work is held in private collections worldwide, including in Madrid and Australia. She currently lives and works in the Hudson Valley, where she is also an educator and mother of two.
Artist Statement
My work explores the complexity of women’s identity through figurative painting, often blending the figure with background elements such as hair or clothing to create a dialogue between the individual and their environment. This interplay reflects how identity is shaped by culture, memory, and life experience. While portraiture has been central to my practice, I am in the process of brainstorming and exploring a new series highlighting “portraits of moments,” using the figure to interpret memories, atmosphere, and personal history from my Venezuelan childhood.
I draw inspiration from personal and cultural narratives, weaving symbolism, pattern, and color to elicit heritage and emotional intensity. My process balances classical figuration with the immediacy of bold, stylized surfaces, exploring the tension between traditional representation and contemporary design. Memory, storytelling, and layered composition guide the evolution of each painting, with the figure serving as a vessel for experience rather than solely a portrait subject.
Through my paintings, I invite viewers to engage with themes of self-possession, empowerment, and authenticity. By highlighting the inner and outer worlds of women, my work encourages reflection, connection, and recognition of shared vulnerability, and dignity.