Isabella Lee Freeman Marin - Artist & Creator
Artist Statement
My work brings to life the complexities of solitude, individuality, and the female lens. With nearly every subject painted being female. Utilizing bold colors, shapes, and an intentional lack of definition, I convey the constant movement of time and the inability to stabilize it. I love colliding realism with abstract techniques in order to play to both of my strengths when painting. Intuition and the spiritual duty to transcend womanhood.
Feminity can be achieved while mutually living with unpredictability. And unpredictability doesn’t necessarily mean instability. I know for a fact, as I’ve tackled the journey of teaching myself to paint with little to no guidance.
This conjunction of the abrasiveness of abstract style and the structure of realism is almost directly ties to my experience of living with craniofacial differences. Even in a world that has no structure, I still cannot seem to find my place within. However, I owe no one my silence, seclusion, and disappearance. I deserve to be seen authentically just as much as everyone else. Even if different and unconventional.
My Journey
Being born with Treacher Collins Syndrome meant a surplus of singular life experiences, and the people in my life were even more clueless about how to handle this. Instead of waiting to be understood, I found a way to translate my thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a more fulfilling manner. Music and art became my outlet in order to express myself without the policing.
I hit rock bottom in 2024, but looking back at it, it was only the beginning. I leaned hard into my creativity, and I reopened wounds in order for them to heal stronger. I created daily. Furthermore, I decided to take a chance on myself and my art, whether or not I succeed.
Context is Key when describing my creative journey, not just as a painter but as an overall artist. I was always very loud and innovative in life. I started with pencil sketches, steadily improving. I sang a lot. My creativity didn’t spawn from nothing; It is simply a sixth sense. I believe you can, in fact, be born with it.
My creativity was encouraged until I started approaching my teens. It was not “stable” or consistent enough. I needed to “pick something that would make money”. Art is risky, and to those around me, my unhappiness would be better than a risk. A universal experience many artists face.
“I need to be creative, whether it sells or not. I need to create what wants to be created, regardless of anything and anyone.”
