Maricela Aviña
Artist
Biography
The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Maricela Aviña was born on September 5, 1981 in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in the city of Bell located in the southeast part of Los Angeles County, and it was there that Maricela began her career as an artist. From an early age, it was apparent that Maricela had a creative streak and a talent for drawing. What began as a coping mechanism to escape the usual growing pains of childhood became a passion. Her skills were self-taught, and through sheer determination and love for art, she continued to hone her craft and develop her skills by focusing mainly on portraiture. She began to receive formal training at Cerritos College where she earned her Associate’s Degrees in Fine Arts and Liberal Arts. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2011 from Otis College of Art and Design, and it was during these years that she experienced tremendous growth. She became highly skilled at painting and branched out into photography and sculpture. She began to apply her knowledge of art history and theory into her work, giving her art developed a more sophisticated dimension. She also began to incorporate surrealism into her art and experiment with more abstract themes. Delving into her psyche she found inspiration in love, pain, death and disease. Combining these elements with her interest in traditional Mexican motifs, burlesque, and retro imagery, Maricela has created her own unique hybrid of self-expression. Some of Maricela’s work has been displayed at the Museum of Latin American Art.
In 2015, she successfully premiered her first solo art show entitled “Poetic Heart” which explored the physical and emotional complexities of the human heart. She followed it up two years a later with her triumphant “Mosaic Lace” series which depicted “shattered” women triumphantly piecing themselves together to become stronger versions of themselves. In 2018 her exhibit, “Love Letters,” premiered on December 1st at the Stay Galley in Downey, California which is a series inspired by published and personal letters ranging from the widest range of emotions: devotion, disappointment, elation, grief, indignation, confidence, ambition, impatience, and resignation.