Artist Statement

Marie Szalkiewicz (she/her) is a Los Angeles-based arts administrator and artist by way of New York City. She holds a B.A. in Art History and a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and went on to receive her M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University. She has a long-lived passion for the arts and its power to bring people together, shape communities, and provide opportunities for exploration, inspiration, and understanding.

Mars has created art all her life, returning to her practice especially when day-to-day life feels increasingly stressful and overwhelming. Over the years of working with various mediums including etching, oil paint, watercolors, pen and ink, and ceramics, she has come to prefer the acrylic medium for its ability to be manipulated in different ways to create various textures and patterns that bring feelings of happiness, excitement, and adventure to her viewers. Along with her affinity for acrylic paint, her current body of work has also begun to incorporate mixed media elements such as glitter, gold powder, and mirrors to add youthful and playful dimensions to the canvas. Mars focuses on the juxtaposition of traditional, realistic representations of figures and objects with abstract patterns, forms, and other eye-catching elements to guide the viewer through a psychedelic world. Painting has always been a means for Mars to explore fantastical ideas in which the audience can experience her drive to portray a dreamlike world that is both meditative and exciting.

As an artist, Mars began her obsession with patterns during her undergraduate education. She found that using shapes as her subject matter transcended debates of gender and identity roles. When working on a commission, she often asks her patron to simply “choose a color” if they are looking for their piece to be representative of Mars’ style. From here, the choice of color speaks volumes for her art, dictating the energy of the space and the essence of the work overall. Creating patterns with a minimal palette became the way for Mars to paint most organically, almost automatic in a sense. Beyond its visual appeal and interest, she also found the process to be extremely calming and meditative. In fact, the practice of meditation in rooted in the idea of focusing only on the breath and clearing the mind so that you can be in the present moment. Patterning is Mars’ way of transferring the clutter of the mind, leaving her with the feeling of being totally present as she paints.

When asked about her process, Mars is quick to mention that she rarely plans her paintings in entirety. Rather, she has a basic concept and begins to work, remove, change, and add elements as she “feels” they are needed. Painting in this fashion mimics the idea that there is commotion underneath the face of her work. In order to help others understand her thoughts, Mars is also open to making images of the progression of her work available, sharing her mistakes, uncertainty, and changes of heart along the way. While she aims for her finished pieces to reflect the perfection that she seeks for herself, the journey to that end is rarely seamless, with a final product that reflects a sense of order in chaos. Mars plans to expand on these ideas in her future work, with an aim to bring her viewer on a psychedelic journey to uncharted places and dimensions.