My art is an ode to beauty, nature and resilience
I am an artist and illustrator interested in ecology, bodies of water, geography, and sustainability. For more than a decade, I’ve painted the natural world with acrylics, watercolors and ink.
The trails, wetlands, beaches, bluffs, meadows and gardens in Golden Gate Park, the Richmond District, Presidio and Land’s End in San Francisco are my ‘neighbors’ as well as endless sources of inspiration. Dappled light patterns in the shadows of a grove of eucalyptus trees, upturned petals of magnolia blossoms, golden blades of dune grass folding in whirling directions, or a trail that disappears into thick clouds of fog trigger my imagination.
Nature is abundance manifested
My studies of plant materials and landscapes interweave fact and fiction. I take imaginative leaps and fold stories into a mark or a shape. Each gesture is a songline that interprets what I am seeing and feeling.
Stillness and “soft fascination” help me discover the inherent ephemeral beauty and light of the setting. I see the world unfold through nature’s eyes. Landscapes speak in gentle lines, undiluted colors, sculptured textures and sensual folds of the earth.
By shifting perception from myself to the natural setting, I bring the outside in. The artwork becomes a living document that captures a silent dialogue, a story with many endings. These intimate encounters inspire me to make the invisible visible and to portray ‘the light within.’
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Background
Check out my design & storytelling services at lilomar.com
Marlene has a varied background as a visual storyteller. Painting, illustration, graphic design, writing, photography, web design, presentations, social marketing, and documentaries are just some of the disciplines in which she works. Art and design focused on positive change is her specialty.
- Marlene paints in both contemporary abstract and representational styles. She makes nature-inspired visual haikus. She has been creating acrylic, watercolor, and ink paintings and illustrations for over ten years.
- She’s been an art director, project manager and facilitator on numerous business storytelling projects. She gave voice and vision to the narratives of various companies, organizations, institutions, and communities. Designing websites, presentations, and social marketing campaigns are among her skills. (client list)
- She’s led project-based workshops in creativity, design thinking, and personal storytelling.
- She crafts memoirs and nature-inspired stories and poems, weaving together personal experiences with vivid descriptions of the natural world.
- Marlene’s expertise in photography spans portrait, editorial, and fashion work. She’s exhibited her photos in San Francisco, Berlin, and Munich.
- Over seven years, she led educational photography programs across Berlin, Munich, and San Francisco. In her role as art administrator, she created instructional materials, conducted workshops, established a visiting artist program, and curated shows.
- She created a series of inspirational and biographical poetic short documentaries, which she directed, wrote, and edited. She focuses on narratives that explore identity and highlight social issues.
However you landed here, I hope you enjoyed looking around.
Feel free to reach out if you would like to purchase art or collaborate.
I like hearing from people and connecting on Instagram.
“Beauty awakens the soul to act.”
– Dante Alighieri
