❊About Me❊

Hola! Soy Marlene, Xicana designer and visual artist born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.
    
I'm the eldest of 4 girls and first generation Mexican American. My parents immigrated to the United States from Sonora and Michoacan Mexico, facing many struggles as they began their new life in this country. Growing up I began developing my love for the arts, after following my mother's creative footsteps. My parents always instilled in me the importance of hard work, helping others and never forgetting my roots and that is how I got to doing what I work on now. In 2008 I decided to pursue my passion in art & design. I got my BFA in Graphic Design and began my art journey. Twelve years later, I am now focusing on helping communities with my designs, working with local and global nonprofits, doing fundraisers, collaborating with other artists and creating work that empowers and inspires. I began using my artwork to shed light on important topics and to raise my voice for others. I wanted to focus on creating more powerful work as I started to become more aware of the injustices affecting my community and our Mother Earth.
Along with my artivism work, I also create pieces inspired by mi cultura, telling stories about mi gente and everything nostalgic to me through colorful designs. I love when others feel a connection to my work and the similar experiences they had growing up. I grew up doing art my whole life and culture always played a big role in inspiring my work. I pushed my DIY ethic and started experimenting with different art mediums, customizing my own clothing, painting murals, illustrating, crafting, learning new skills, and everything I could to achieve my dreams. 
Fun Facts: I'm a lefty. 90's kid. Expert smoothie maker. Vinyl collector. Professional playlist creator. Sombrero collector. Love mango everything. 50% Introvert 50% Extrovert. Metalsmithing is one of my hidden skills. I LOVE animals. Especially my doggy Kaifan, monkeys, and bats. Obsessed with Raspados de Vainilla. Nature lover. MexiKitsch. Yaquesita P’urhépecha. Norteña del Sur.