Issis Macias
Is an artist living and working in Madison, Wisconsin.
Macias, a self-taught artist and daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her creative journey is deeply rooted in the community and the diverse array of artists she has encountered throughout her life. In 2020, amidst the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, Macias faced a significant career transition and became a new mother. She found herself embracing her art with renewed passion, using creativity as a means to navigate and heal during turbulent times. Through her intuitive painting practice, Macias is compelled to find solace and sees her work as an expression of personal experiences and healing generational traumas. Presently, Macias is based in Madison and maintains strong ties to Los Angeles.
Macias is a recipient of the Micaela Salinas Artist Fellowship, sponsored by Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development in Madison. She is a 2023-2025 Bridge Work artist at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 2023 Forward Art Prize finalist presented by the Women Artists Forward Fund, and a member of the Madison Art Guild. Her work is held in private collections across the U.S., Mexico, and Europe.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My abstract paintings, unveiling an array of pigments on canvas, embody my sanctuary—a realm of meditative experiences that heal present and ancestral wounds, celebrate the vibrancy of my Mexican heritage, and honor matrilineal resilience.
My artistic approach is raw and intuitive, guided by emotions and the textures of the materials I utilize. I primarily work with acrylics and oil pastels on canvas to create vibrant and emotive compositions where color, shapes, and lines convey visual unity. Utilizing free-form techniques of layering and moving pigments with silicone wedges and bare hands allows me to surrender to the canvas and its colors. It is a spiritual process in which my mind quiets, allowing my soul to speak through textures, colors, and lines. Applying oil pastels fosters a sense of play in my practice, as spontaneous markings emerge from a meditative state.
I invite viewers into my colorful contemplative space, where each painting becomes a sanctuary for healing and transformation. My paintings create meaningful connections with the viewers by inspiring introspection about their own emotions and life journeys through intuitive abstraction. My creative palette is fueled by Mother Earth's colors, bodies of water, music, travels, and my daughter/muse—Inez.
All photos by Martin Jenich Photography
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