Marianne Patricio

"The passion I have for my artwork runs parallel with everything I do in life. That passion in your heart is what makes it last. Passion is the key to true happiness."

Marianne Patricio, a self-taught visual artist, is known for her life-like pencil portraits and paintings. Growing up, she had always been a creative child, drawing and painting for as long as she can remember. Marianne achieves realism through detail in every piece adding her signature style with a bold touch of colour or gold accent, with her work being recognized by the muses themselves -- James Franco, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as well as her favourite hip-hop moguls J. Cole, Drake, Fabolous, The Game, and hip-hop innovator and art connoisseur Swizz Beatz, to name a few. 

Each piece of artwork symbolizes a special feeling or moment in her life, the inspiration for each triggered by a lyric or a quote that resonated with her. Practicing her craft is the only time her mind is nowhere else, allowing her to be in pure tranquil bliss.

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and Marianne hopes that with every curve, line, and stroke of her brush she is able to spark that emotion in you by sharing art from her heart to yours. 

Art & Me

How did you develop your drawing/painting style? 
I always had a knack for detail. It wasn’t until I was given the tools and artistic mediums in high school when I realized I loved to draw and paint with precision. I started painting by mixing my own shades using primary colours with black and white to achieve the colours I wanted, painting landscapes and sunsets, where I was able to further develop my ability to blend. I later moved on to doing portraits, and I chose the intensity of black and white with a pop of colour as my signature style, making each piece simple yet powerful.

When did your passion for the art world begin?
When asked the age old question as a little girl “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would answer “An artist.” every time. I have a memory of me as a toddler drawing my first human figure at the coffee table with my dad. As a child I would make art for my family and friends, and fell in love with the way it made them feel. I would even get caught drawing doodles on my walls! I’m thankful and fortunate to have parents who provided me with artistic tools at a young age, to encourage my creativity. I started painting using watercolour, coloured in colouring books with different materials, and was so intrigued by art history, familiarizing myself through books, encyclopedias and educational computer games. In class I’d find myself doodling all over my notebooks, and in some cases, getting caught drawing silly caricatures of my teachers! Throughout high school I spent most of my time in the art room during my breaks and after school to fulfill my artistic appetite. I had a true love for art that never stopped.
 
What inspires you as an artist?
I find inspiration in the little things in life. It’s all internally driven from the way I feel at the time. Music has a big influence and role in the art I make. The reason I draw or paint the people I do is because at some point in my life whether it is through their lyrics or a specific quote, they’ve left an impression on me. I also keep a miniature sketchbook where I write down special lyrics, quotes or poems I love and associate them with my art. Being able to express that feeling on canvas is how I release it. 

What memorable responses have you had to your work?
There are so many talented and unique people I’ve come across through my art. I feel that in this day and age with technology being such a huge part of our lives, we may as well take advantage of it and put our talents out there. Social media helped to showcase my work, and I'm grateful for it allowing me to meet and connect with so many amazing and like-minded individuals.

Although the appreciation and recognition is a big bonus, I think the most valuable thing behind it all is receiving messages and comments from people all over the world, letting me know how much I’ve inspired them, changed them, or helped them take that step in pursuing something. That’s priceless. It’s the most fulfilling and rewarding feeling, knowing I can change someone’s life through my artwork, that they can feel the heart behind each piece; heartwork. And I will continue to be thankful and grateful for everyone who supports me on this journey!

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
My good friend and mentor told me, “Treat life as you would a blank canvas. With a blank canvas, you decide where the paint goes. No one can tell you anything about how you create your art and that same thing applies to life. You don’t need to even know exactly where you’re going to be honest. As long as you’re moving towards a positive direction, the universe will take care of the rest.” This was shortly after an epiphany I had, and it resonated with me as I’ve always been very free-spirited making decisions based on my heart more than my mind. Coming from someone who understands me and continues to push me towards achieving my ultimate goals, this truly means a lot.

Where do you see your art taking you?
As artists we are blessed with the gift of creating a visual story that others can connect with. By doing what I love, it’s opened up so many doors for me. I can only imagine what the future holds. Creating has given me a sense of purpose. It’s a necessity in my life. To be truly happy in life you need to have passion in anything you do, because without it everything is temporary. And that’s important to me because I’ve always been one to listen to my heart, knowing it will always lead me on the path I’m destined to take.