About Mariel,
the artist behind mrl.
My name is Mariel Vasquez, and I am a visual artist primarily working with acrylic paint. I am a first-generation Dominican American, born in Queens, New York, and raised in North Carolina. Creativity has always been central to my life. My work is deeply personal and emotionally driven, often reflecting themes of identity, vulnerability, and transformation. As a proud Pisces, I embrace my sensitivity and emotional depth as strengths that inform my artistic voice. I value beauty, connection, and authenticity in all forms and aim to create work that speaks to the complexity and richness of being alive. Art, for me, is not just expression, it's a way of understanding and honoring the world around me.
Why I Make…
The emotions we avoid don’t disappear.
Healing often begins with presence, giving ourselves permission to feel what’s there, even when it doesn’t make sense right away. My work creates space for that process. It’s about being in relationship with our emotions, our energy, and the messiness of being human. Everyday experiences, both challenging and joyful, shape what I create. When words fall short, I turn to acrylic paint using color, texture, and form to process and communicate. I’m interested in the tension between chaos and care, in work that doesn’t demand immediate clarity but still holds intention. Each piece invites reflection, not just on what I felt while making it, but on what might be stirred in the person viewing it. Art, for me, is an act of connection. Not just with myself, but with anyone who sees themselves mirrored in the feelings beneath the surface.