Marlene Llanes

I create surrealist paintings using oil on canvas. I am fascinated by nature and the calmness it brings. I am intrigued by both, nature and the meaning of our own existence. I usually combine nature with everyday objects in an unusual but meaningful way. I want the viewer to connect to nature as a way to connect with themselves, with their inner-self. I believe that past-present-future are all interconnected and I want to capture this connection as a single moment. I have been told that my works take the viewer to a grounded fantasy. My images form meanings for the viewer without being forced upon them. I rely heavily on light and shadows to create a sense of depth that draws the viewer into a peaceful dreamlike scene. My paintings can be very colorful but through the use of contrast I bring simplicity and order. I have shown my work in numerous exhibits in Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico. A lot of my paintings are part of private as well as public collections. Three of my works are part of public permanent collections. One at the UHCL Pearland Campus and another one at the Savannah College of Art and Design. In 2012 I was invited to Valloria, Italy to paint one of their doors for their Outdoor Museum of the Painted Doors. I wrote and illustrated the children's book "Paty y los Payasos”, published in 2002 by Los Libros de El Nacional in Venezuela. This was back in the day when a publisher had to select your work (unlike today that anybody can self-publish anything). Besides working on my surrealist paintings I have also worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for newspapers, printing companies, advertising agencies, and publishing companies. I am also passionate about teaching. I have taught college at the Art Institute of Austin and children at Art Plus Academy as well as private lessons to adults. In 1997 I graduated as a graphic designer from Universidad Vasco de Quiroga in Morelia, Mexico. In 1998 I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study illustration in the USA. I finished her master's degree in Fine Arts (Illustration) at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2000. I was born in Morelia, Mexico. I currently live in Austin, TX. I am a proud dual citizen.