Sydney Guzman ’23 (LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting MFA)
Statement
My paintings tell a story, externalizing a self reflection, as the marks dance across the surface.
My marks don’t always dance smoothly. Sometimes they stumble onto one another like feet stepping on feet, colliding into one. An awkward dance happens before your eyes. A stack of paint is formed and smudged onto the surface.
Every mark reminds me of myself in different moments. Some emphasize a confidence I wish I had all of the time. Others drip down, no longer capable of staying in place; gravity teases them, forcing them to change. Form and line merge, integrating muddy, confident, and drippy strokes that find a home within the space.
My paintings are a visualization of myself. No longer standing in my own way.
No longer resisting change.
They are a way to see myself in the world.
I am a human, who feels things, who longs and dreams. I am a body. I’m a woman who plants her feet on the ground, determined to transform and discover more. I have a mind that overthinks, and an imagination that allows my youth to take charge.
This self expression frees me.
You see a world that I create, a space where not everything makes sense all of the time. Life doesn’t make sense all of the time.
I paint to learn myself, to understand my mind and the world around me. I explore placement and perspective because there’s so much to see in different ways. I befriend color, it’s my invitation to express the feelings I can’t put into words. I’m a straight out of the tube kind of gal if I feel like it. I’ve learned I can paint on anything.
I stare at the blank space in front of me and free fall inward.
I release the turmoil within me until I’ve made something that represents me.
First Year Juried Show Students
David Ayala ’23 (LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting MFA) - not exhibiting