Papier-Mache Artist Gaby Marvan is VIVA’s Guest Artist for October

Portrait by Hanna Agar Photography

Personal Perspectives

I strongly believe in the connection between all humans and nature and that the only constant in life is change. I represent this in my art through movement.

Being a graphic designer with a media specialty, I returned to the sublime sensation of creating sculptures through a traditional Mexican technique: cartoneria (coming to Mexico from Spain in the 16th Century). I use structures of wire, reed frame, or clay molds followed by layers of paper. Its texture is smoother and stronger than most papier-maché. Cartoneria comes from the word cartón, which means cardboard or heavy paper. One of the foremost celebrations nowadays in Mexico is Day of the Dead, the celebration where the dead are honored and remembered. Artists of paper (cartoneros) create Catrinas (dressed skeleton ladies), skulls, and skeletons to decorate streets, museums, or cultural places from October 31 to November 2.

I love the idea of preserving and sharing part of my culture through my art, working the tradition while creating my own style in colorful sculptures by recycling paper that becomes a Catrina or Judas (decorated devil). Behind each of the sculptures of this exhibition there is a story and meaning of motion, a connection with nature, in tradition to the colorful Mexican folk art.

I want to touch your heart through my art, making you feel like we are connected. 

What is influencing your work at the moment?

My work is highly influenced by the Mexican folk art, the traditional talavera from Puebla, Mexico, is a style that has always held my attention, as well as the otomí culture peintures with colorful contrasts. I also love to take pictures of nature and include the organic forms of the trees, leaves, flowers.

I am also inspired by José Guadalupe Posada and Manuel Manilla art.

I love to return to the basic forms and to the handmade and natural way. I would love to experiment with natural dyes on paper like “grana cochinilla.”

How did you come to focus on your current subject?

I have always been attracted to the Mexican folklore, colors, and food. I think all of it is represented in my art. Catrinas (skeleton women), Judas (decorated devils), and skulls are the main topics that I work with, and these forms are icons in the Mexican culture. I like to feel that I preserve this tradition with my art, giving to each piece a personality of movement and a whimsical touch. I used to usually work in 2D, but when I had the opportunity to take sculpture classes I was amazed by the feeling that your hands have while you are creating a piece.

If you could have one work of art in your home from a museum or a private collection, what would it be?

On White II byVasili Kandinski

Why did you decide to work in your chosen medium?

When I started to study cartoneria (the Mexican traditional technique similar to papier-maché), I loved the idea of creating art with paper. As a graphic designer, one of my favorite jobs is to create characters, so creating sculptures with paper became my passion. I sometimes invent stories. It is very fun to see them finalized after enjoying the whole process, forgetting about the time.

What’s the most indispensable item in your studio?

A pair of pliers given to me by my dad.

Tom Rohrer is our VIVA Member Feature Artist of the Month

I have recently returned to concentrating on basic nature documentation photography, which has a certain ethic and involves some discipline and well-developed skills, especially in the “macro” realm of getting clear photos of very small things.  There are certain limitations with macro photography that are very challenging, such as a very short depth of field (the distance from near to far that is in focus), and getting close to moving subjects without spooking them. Then there is a leap from a photographed object to a well-composed print.  

In much of my previous work I felt free to use editing software to change things since the goal for that type of work is a finished art print and I enjoy the editing process, which is often like drawing. With the return to documentation, no editing is allowed other than fitting the subject to a space by cropping out unnecessary distractions and adjusting only exposure.  My immediate concentration now is on documenting bumble bees as part of a Citizen Science project via the Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade, which involves the very demanding requirement of capturing three photos of each bee from three different aspects: face, side, and back for species verification.  There is a most gratifying payoff for being able to present the essence of photography—Look what I saw!—and have a print that works as art as well.

I learned photography very early.  My father was an avid photographer and a chemist by profession, and he set me up with my first darkroom at about the age of 10.  In high school I got a job as a newspaper reporter and photographer and had my first large exhibits in college.  At the same time I was taking drawing and painting lessons, and one of my great aunts was an accomplished painter, so that has to be in the mix of influences in my development as an artist.  Although I use a computer and fancy printer now rather than a darkroom, I have never really lost the interest and drive to get better at my craft.