Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Artist: Marisela Padilla (El Paso)
NOT FOR SALE. This work is part of the exhibition and is not available for purchase.
Year: 2026 | Medium: Colored pencColored pencil (central figure), collage, rays - acrylic, frame - gold markers | Dimensions: 16x24 inches | Display: Wall-hung (2D)
Artist Statement
This piece connects to collage as resistance through its celebration of forms of power that often go unseen. The central figure stands on a cracked shield with a sword and helmet at her feet. These are traditional symbols of war, conquest, and domination. Rather than triumphing through force, she is surrounded by symbols of creation, care, reflection, beauty, and self-expression.
Each of her four arms holds an object associated with a different aspect of feminine labor and creativity. The mirror represents self-knowledge and identity. The peony symbolizes beauty, growth, and abundance. The feather duster honors the often invisible work of maintaining homes, families, and communities. The paintbrush represents imagination, storytelling, and the power to shape culture. Together, they suggest that creation, care, and preservation are forces as powerful as destruction.
The ancient female statues surrounding her connect women across time, reclaiming stories, wisdom, and contributions that have often been overlooked or forgotten. The rays behind her transform her into an icon, elevating qualities that are rarely celebrated with the same reverence as power expressed through force.
For me, this work is about a different vision of strength. It honors the women who sustain life, preserve beauty, carry knowledge, create meaning, and continue moving forward despite systems that have historically devalued those contributions. The piece belongs in this room because it argues that resistance is not only expressed through protest or battle but also something found in care, creativity, resilience, and the everyday acts that keep the world alive.
About the Artist
I’m a Latina artist and clinical social worker in the border region. I spend much of my professional life working with trauma, so art has become one of the ways I stay grounded, process, and come back to myself. I’m especially drawn to collage because it lets me turn fragments into something meaningful. My work is shaped by memory, symbolism, culture, and the belief that beauty can exist alongside pain. Art gives me a space to slow down, reflect, and transform personal experiences into something meaningful.
https://www.lovelybutdead.com
Pulp Stiction: Collage as an Act of Resistance. Hopkins Hall Gallery, OSU, Oct 26 to Dec 11, 2026.
Artist: Marisela Padilla (El Paso)
NOT FOR SALE. This work is part of the exhibition and is not available for purchase.
Year: 2026 | Medium: Colored pencColored pencil (central figure), collage, rays - acrylic, frame - gold markers | Dimensions: 16x24 inches | Display: Wall-hung (2D)
Artist Statement
This piece connects to collage as resistance through its celebration of forms of power that often go unseen. The central figure stands on a cracked shield with a sword and helmet at her feet. These are traditional symbols of war, conquest, and domination. Rather than triumphing through force, she is surrounded by symbols of creation, care, reflection, beauty, and self-expression.
Each of her four arms holds an object associated with a different aspect of feminine labor and creativity. The mirror represents self-knowledge and identity. The peony symbolizes beauty, growth, and abundance. The feather duster honors the often invisible work of maintaining homes, families, and communities. The paintbrush represents imagination, storytelling, and the power to shape culture. Together, they suggest that creation, care, and preservation are forces as powerful as destruction.
The ancient female statues surrounding her connect women across time, reclaiming stories, wisdom, and contributions that have often been overlooked or forgotten. The rays behind her transform her into an icon, elevating qualities that are rarely celebrated with the same reverence as power expressed through force.
For me, this work is about a different vision of strength. It honors the women who sustain life, preserve beauty, carry knowledge, create meaning, and continue moving forward despite systems that have historically devalued those contributions. The piece belongs in this room because it argues that resistance is not only expressed through protest or battle but also something found in care, creativity, resilience, and the everyday acts that keep the world alive.
About the Artist
I’m a Latina artist and clinical social worker in the border region. I spend much of my professional life working with trauma, so art has become one of the ways I stay grounded, process, and come back to myself. I’m especially drawn to collage because it lets me turn fragments into something meaningful. My work is shaped by memory, symbolism, culture, and the belief that beauty can exist alongside pain. Art gives me a space to slow down, reflect, and transform personal experiences into something meaningful.
https://www.lovelybutdead.com
Pulp Stiction: Collage as an Act of Resistance. Hopkins Hall Gallery, OSU, Oct 26 to Dec 11, 2026.