ARTIST STATEMENT
I work with found elements—upcycled fabric, thread, acrylic paint, and drawing media—favoring hand sewing to create abstract mixed-media pieces. This piece is part of a three-part series titled Ms., in which each work begins as an acrylic painting of an abstract female bust on watercolor paper. Layers of paint are added, then the image is pulled onto upcycled fabric, allowing traces of the original to reappear in unexpected ways. Her large, textured hair stands out—a defining presence. It’s part of my Latina-ness, a reflection on growing up in a world where long hair was seen as feminine and short hair as masculine. In this work, her hair is big and beautiful not as definition but as declaration: she embraces it for the strength it gives her, less as a marker of gender and more as a symbol of self-celebration and autonomy. Each piece in the series features hand-sewn French knots in pink, yellow, or orange embroidery thread marking the eye and torso, with layered accents throughout in yellow, orange, blue, red, and brown marker. A black gel pen outlines and grounds the figure. Through painting, print, and stitch, I explore identity as something layered, imperfect, and continually renewed.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Evangelina Roa, originally from Chicago and now based in Brooklyn, is a self-taught mixed-media artist who works with fabric, paper, thread, acrylic paint, and drawing media. Her process is driven by materials—whether upcycled fabric, thread remnants, tissue paper, or old magazines—which guide her through a journey of self-discovery rooted in culture, aspiration, and emotion. By layering imagery, texture, and materials, she creates work that is rooted in memory yet open to transformation. Her creative spirit was evident from an early age—turning barrettes into earrings, doodling on Barbie dolls, and finding inspiration in the geometric wallpaper of her parents’ kitchen. Art has always been her refuge. Influenced by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Hannah Höch, Cindy Sherman, and Meret Oppenheim, she has honed her practice through classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the 92nd Street Y, as well as independent study via YouTube tutorials. In 2024, Evangelina participated in the Women United ART MOVEMENT’s virtual group exhibition FLAWLESS: Embracing Imperfection in Art, was featured in the Summer issue of Women United Art Magazine, and exhibited her piece ButterflyBear at Woman Made Gallery’s Small Works Member Show.
© Evangelina Roa