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EILEEN MARQUEZ about
"My artwork is meant to inspire, engage and uplift."
Eileen Marquez is a painter who has been exhibiting her artwork for over 20 years. Eileen's art practice is rooted in her life-long interest in connecting her work with her Cuban heritage. She incorporates fabrics into her art to extend her visual vocabulary and to connect with her mother who was an immigrant seamstress. She holds a Bachelor's in Fine Art in painting, and was a docent at the Brooklyn Museum for 10 years.
Artist Eileen Marquez is a painter whose art reflects a unique statement. She adds elements of collage to her compositions by gluing pieces of fabric directly onto her canvases. Life-like portraits define her “Goddess Series of Inspiring Women - Both Real And Imaginary,” providing girls and women with strong positive role models.
My art acts as a cultural connection to my mother who was a seamstress after immigrating to the United States, from Cuba, in the late 50’s. I fell in love with the beautiful patterns and images on the fabrics that she would bring home - creating beautiful outfits for me. Around 15 years ago, I began collecting fabrics from upholsterers, fabric shops, and discarded pieces of clothing searching for those patterns and images. After carefully curating different pieces of fabrics, I glue them onto my paintings, incorporating them into the compositions. This process allows me to extend my visual language, and adds the element of collage to my work.
My ‘Goddess Series of Inspiring Women - Both Real And Imaginary' is meant to provide inspiration and hope to women and girls. I paint subjects such as Dolly Parton, Malala Yousafzai, and Greta Thunber granting the viewer a direct dialog with the goddess, much as women have done throughout history. Some of my imaginary goddesses appear faceless so that the viewer can imagine herself as the goddess, revealing her own special persona. Incorporating fabrics and images in the backgrounds of the paintings identifies the goddess’s extraordinary qualities. I use a vivid palette in this body of work to convey the positive and inspiring experience this series is designed to have. I began my series ‘All Aboard!’ of life-like portraits of New York City subway commuters in 2018 when still living in the city. While commuting to work on the New York City subway system, I used my cell phone to photograph commuters. I slowly started to see that these images contained an important message. On the subway car, commuters sit in a communal and cooperative space. The barriers that normally separate us are obscured; the simple subway car becomes a space of quiet compatibility. The images depict contemporary people surrounded with all “their stuff" including iPhones and designer bags, participating in the humble act of commuting. As you take in the individuals in the paintings, you begin to see common characteristics and our unique nuances. I add natural elements such as plants, flowers, and wild life to these compositions as a way to fulfill my desire to bring beauty and nature to our public spaces. After graduating with honors and receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida International University in Miami, Florida, I moved to New York to be closer to the international art scene there. For over 20 years, I’ve exhibited my art in juried and invitational shows throughout the metropolitan New York area and the United States. I also was a docent at the Brooklyn Museum for 10 years. I recently relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, attracted by the vibrant art scene here.
My ‘Goddess Series of Inspiring Women - Both Real And Imaginary' is meant to provide inspiration and hope to women and girls. I paint subjects such as Dolly Parton, Malala Yousafzai, and Greta Thunber granting the viewer a direct dialog with the goddess, much as women have done throughout history. Some of my imaginary goddesses appear faceless so that the viewer can imagine herself as the goddess, revealing her own special persona. Incorporating fabrics and images in the backgrounds of the paintings identifies the goddess’s extraordinary qualities. I use a vivid palette in this body of work to convey the positive and inspiring experience this series is designed to have. I began my series ‘All Aboard!’ of life-like portraits of New York City subway commuters in 2018 when still living in the city. While commuting to work on the New York City subway system, I used my cell phone to photograph commuters. I slowly started to see that these images contained an important message. On the subway car, commuters sit in a communal and cooperative space. The barriers that normally separate us are obscured; the simple subway car becomes a space of quiet compatibility. The images depict contemporary people surrounded with all “their stuff" including iPhones and designer bags, participating in the humble act of commuting. As you take in the individuals in the paintings, you begin to see common characteristics and our unique nuances. I add natural elements such as plants, flowers, and wild life to these compositions as a way to fulfill my desire to bring beauty and nature to our public spaces. After graduating with honors and receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida International University in Miami, Florida, I moved to New York to be closer to the international art scene there. For over 20 years, I’ve exhibited my art in juried and invitational shows throughout the metropolitan New York area and the United States. I also was a docent at the Brooklyn Museum for 10 years. I recently relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, attracted by the vibrant art scene here.