Angela Maree Saenz (b. 1996 in Papillion, Nebraska) is known best for her honest and vibrant portrait paintings. The idea of the malleable self, whether painted through depictions of friends, still lifes, safe spaces, and inner worlds, is a recurring theme which allows Saenz to reinterpret traditions of portraiture and question the world she inhabits. Her work is inspired by art history, pop culture, memory, daydreams, flowers and personal history - being the daughter of an Salvadoran immigrant and learning to navigate between two cultural identities. Saenz received her BFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR (2018). She is part of Maracuya Con Leche alongside Laura Camila Medina, where together they have participated in residence through the IPRC Artist & Writers in Residence Program (2020) and Caldera Arts (2022). Her work has exhibited throughout Portland, OR at Wieden + Kennedy, Center for Contemporary Art and Culture, and Well Well Projects.
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Mirror Mirror, Mira Mira
Laura Camila Medina and Angela Maree SaenzCurated by Luiza Lukova
Opening Night, January 8, 2022
On View, January 8 - 30, 2022
Flyer created by Angela Maree Saenz
Photos courtesy of Mario Gallucci
In Mirror Mirror, Mira Mira, Portland-based artists Laura Camila Medina and Angela Maree Saenz present a compelling suite of unrealeased paintings, drawings and monotype prints that inspire conversation around community, care and connection. Medina’s otherworldly watercolor illustrations depict anthropomorphic qualities - a face, a body, a hand - that help situate the image while also transporting viewers to a magical, indistinct space entirely of her crafting. In turn, Saenz’s honest and vibrant oil on canvas portraits instantly place viewers within a comfortable frame of intimacy, evading hyper-realism with their freeform, monochromatic backgrounds and stylized brush strokes. Seperately and in tandem, the artists present viewers world-building techniques that create meaningful naratives meant to reimagine and question the world they inhabit.
Medina and Saenz harness a power of transformation with these pieces that reflects inwards, pulling from intimate thoughts and emotions, and outwards, hoping to channel a similar self within their audience. They imply the familiar manner in which faces, objects, and patterns can transport the gallery-goer to a dreamlike place and state. The works seem to ask, how do we all relate? What might be possible if we experienced no barriers or obstacles to our personal dreams?
Written by Luiza Lukova
Medina and Saenz harness a power of transformation with these pieces that reflects inwards, pulling from intimate thoughts and emotions, and outwards, hoping to channel a similar self within their audience. They imply the familiar manner in which faces, objects, and patterns can transport the gallery-goer to a dreamlike place and state. The works seem to ask, how do we all relate? What might be possible if we experienced no barriers or obstacles to our personal dreams?
Written by Luiza Lukova
Hard Feelings
Solo Exhibition
Solo Exhibition
Opening Night, October 7, 2021
On View, October 7 - November 15, 2021
PGE Gallery at The Armory, Portland Center Stage
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On View, October 7 - November 15, 2021
PGE Gallery at The Armory, Portland Center Stage
Photos Courtesy of Mario Gallucci
Funded in part by the Oregon Arts Commission
Hard Feelings draws upon the artist’s response to grief, intimacy, and community in the times of Corona. This body of work is composed of paintings of friends, flowers, and imagination. These elements speak to the artist’s expression of self as well as her need for sitters, community, and art history. Painted with a variety of colors, textures, and viscosities Saenz hopes to highlight the complexity of our humanness and temporary nature. Expressing to viewers that we are complex nuanced humans who navigate different color fields.
painting
printmaking
Photos Courtesy of Mario Gallucci and Kevin McConnell
For inquiries on available works, please email angelamareesaenz@gmail.com
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