"Art as Escapism" - The CreativeMindClass Blog
I'm originally from Venezuela. I grew up in a tropical town with hills and palm trees, but it was impossible for me to fully explore the world around me (partly because of the overprotection of my parents however, mostly due to my own insecurities and fears within my home country). Most of the time, television and books became my main ways of escape - as did drawing! I was constantly drawing my favourite anime characters and my pets, as well as friends. I wasn't allowed to wear, costumes, or everything else.
It was mostly a pastime at the time, and I was certain that I would never extend beyond Venezuela. However, my family made the decision to move to the UK, and this changed everything for me. When I was a teenager I finally had greater freedom, and was able to explore places alone and thought about what I wanted to do.
My fascination with the design of characters and stories has led me to comics which then brought me to drawing. Everything became one. After a couple of years of studies (and a lot of hard work) I'm currently freelance as an Illustrator in London.
My work I believe is adventurous, enjoyable and a bit messy (in the best way!). Sometimes , it's simple, or it can be very detailed. However, every illustration has a person or animal or even a beautiful piece of landscape. I love to believe that every illustration I draw is all part of the same world.
The key for me is having fun while doing it. I think of the things that enthralled me as a child as a child: vivid colors as well as sly characters, humorous moments, and tiny little details that you can be lost into. The goal of my work is to capture as many of these elements every time I make something brand new. If I can make the viewer feel excited or happy, or like they noticed something fascinating, then I've accomplished what I wanted to achieve.
"Another key element for me is humor. I realized over time that I'm not the most competent person to create serious or conceptual artworks However, I'm fairly adept in creating something lighthearted that can inspire laughter. I am a good player now."
Marianna's art adventure on Instagram; discover detailed illustrations from her children's book she created in lockdowns, as well as some behind-the-scenes photos of her redoing her Skillshare class to name just a few. The link to the class and Marianna's books you can find through her web site.