Today we’d like to introduce you to Mari.
Hi Mari , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Venezuela surrounded by the creative influence of my crafty grandmothers. After moving to Miami as a teenager, I discovered clay and fell in love with sculpting the human figure. I earned a B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramic Sculpture from Florida International University in 2012. Since graduating, I have worked as a studio tech and instructor at different pottery studios across Central Florida. Right before the pandemic my husband and I moved to Jacksonville and I stumbled into the Fine Art Gallery world when I took a job as part of the framing and production team at a prominent gallery in St. Augustine. Over the past year, I have put all my focus and energy on my career as a professional artist creating out of my home studio and showing my work at galleries throughout the state.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The path as an artist is a very individual one, each person carving and building their own way. This is challenging because there is no set of steps to follow, it’s all trial and error. I have been very lucky to always have a creative job in the art world and a wonderful support system. Being an artist requires you to be a jack of all trades and that can be difficult and overwhelming, it’s not just about making art. It also requires you to be very vulnerable and put yourself out there, open yourself up to a lot of rejection, failure, and starting over.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My sculptures are rooted in the traditions of classical figurative sculpture. My work draws from the timeless language of the human form while embracing abstract elements that represent intangible forces: thoughts, emotions, and ancestral memories. I usually begin a piece by sketching out some ideas in clay to figure out the composition and the pose. Then I use reference pictures, mirrors, and sometimes live models as I sculpt. I build each piece using slab and coil construction techniques in stoneware clay. Once the sculpting is done, the piece must dry slowly for a few weeks before being fired in an electric kiln. I like to finish the surface with glazes, and stains, fired in the kiln a second time. I also use cold finishes like milk paints, house paints, and gloss spray paints. What I am most excited to explore in my new work is an added auditory component integrated into the piece. Small speakers inside play healing frequencies that are felt as much as they are heard, inviting the viewer into a sensory experience that extends beyond the visual. My hope is for my work to be a beacon of healing, transmuting our fears into love. In a time marked by uncertainty, my work proposes stillness as resistance and softness as strength. Each piece offers a moment to pause, to feel, and to heal.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding a community and mentors as an artist is essential. In my experience, the best way to do this is to put yourself in the places where the things are happening and the people doing what you are doing are. Get a job at a gallery, work at a studio, take workshops from artists you admire, work in a shared artist space or community studio, volunteer at artist shows, and apply for artist residencies or internships. Meeting other artists always opens up new doors to new opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.msantanastudios.com
- Instagram: m.santana.studios
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MSantanaStudios
