Arts as Escapism The CreativeMindClass Blog

I'm originally from Venezuela. I was born in a city that was very tropical surrounded by hills and palm trees, however I sadly wasn't really allowed to fully explore the world around me (partly because of my parents' excessive protection however, mostly due to all the anxieties that surrounded my country). The majority of my time was spent indoors. TV and books became my main ways of escape - as did drawing! I was constantly drawing my favourite anime characters, my friends, pets I wasn't allowed to own, costumes, and all sorts of things.

It was mainly a hobby that I had a little bit conscious that it wouldn't be a full-time job in Venezuela. My family then decided to move to the UK which changed everything for me. As a teen I had finally been granted some autonomy, and I was allowed to explore places by myself and to think about the things I would like to accomplish.

My passion for character design and narrative has led me to comics which then inspired me to draw. Everything became one. After some years of study (and a lot of work), I'm now freelancing as an Illustrator in London.

I think my work is fun, bold and a bit chaotic (in a good manner!). It can be straightforward, or it can be extremely detailed, but the illustrations always feature a figure or animal or even a beautiful piece of landscape. I believe all my illustrations are one in the same.

The key for me is having fun with it. It is easy to think of things that enthralled me as a child in my youth: vibrant colours and characters that are sneaky, hilarious moments, and tiny little details to be lost within. It is my goal to encompass as many of these elements whenever I create something new. If I'm able to get the viewer to feel happy or content, or feel like they have discovered something new, then I've accomplished the goal I set for myself.

"Another essential element that I am looking for is the sense of humor. It was apparent over time that I'm not the most qualified person to produce abstract or serious art However, I'm fairly adept in making something fun and lighthearted to make someone laugh. I play to my strengths now."

You can follow Marianna's creative journey on her Instagram and see detailed drawings from her children's book she created during lockdowns and some backstage shots of recoding her Skillshare class, just to mention some. Links to the class as well as Marianna's books can be found at her web site.