Marianne Angeli Rodriguez is an illustrator and painter now settled in charming southern Louisiana after 15 years living abroad in West Africa, Central America, Europe and Asia.

Her inspiration is drawn from world culture, ethnic textiles and the harmonious colours reflected in nature.

Marianne is interested in cultural diversity, rituals, symbolism, language and the ever-changing symbiosis within communities and nature. 

As a student of Buddhist philosophy, creativity is a healing and meditative practice for Marianne.  The imagery she creates is intended to highlight kindness, compassion, and the capacity to awaken in order to strengthen our Higher Selves, and hopefully to inspire an appreciation for the interconnectedness and serenity presented to us by Mother Earth. Although Marianne does not have any formal training in fine art, she feels compelled to create in order to remind herself and others of these virtues.

Marianne has three lovable rescue pets; a grey tabby cat and two staffy-mixes.

 Our Interview With Marianne

How would you describe your artwork to someone who’s never seen it?

Colourful, vivacious, eclectic, and joyfully layered with a worldly undertone.

What do you hope people get from your artwork?

I’m a colourist, so first and foremost what I wish is to elicit feelings of joy, delight and positive energy when viewers first come across my work. Then when you look a little closer, you’ll find there’s something more within the process. Since I don’t have any training in fine-art, I’ve explored materials and my own process freely and, for the most part, ignored technical rules in painting. The message is that there are endless possibilities to be creative and that something lovely can be made from nothing.

Can you describe your personal home decorating style?

My personal decor style is a bit eclectic, modern-boho, laidback with a punch of colour here and there. The indulgence is in the art - I’m lucky to have inherited some amazing folk art from my parents’ travels. I love for the art to shine so my walls are all white, with decor pieces made from natural materials.

What’s your favourite item at home/your most treasured possession (functional or decorative)?

One of my favourite treasures is a wooden Philippine shell inlay chest - it’s very intricately carved and so beautiful to look at. I also have a growing collection of hand sculptures which I think is pretty rad, hah!

What (other than art) are you passionate about, and can you tell us a bit about it?

We have five rescue pets; I’d say animal rescue and rehabilitation is a cause I hold dear to my heart and am an advocate for. I support wildlife sanctuaries and rescue groups when possible.

What’s your favourite quote or saying?

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom" Anaïs Nin

Something I have a particular interest in is human resilience - Can you tell us about a challenge in your life that turned out to be a blessing?

Years ago, when I had just gotten laid off from my job and was dipping my toes into the art world doing local art fairs, my car was stolen and everything I had invested in for my new venture was gone. It was horrible. My parents urged me to move back home and get a “real” job in NYC. I stuck it out and stayed - and rebuilt from the ground up. That experience gave me the tenacity I so needed to be fully independent, committed and driven in pursuing my creative path. Later, as I grew more serious in my practice, I got rejected from the galleries I wanted so badly to land a relationship with. I continued to work on my art and ultimately opened - and now operate - a gallery of my own.