Renee Maderazo is a mixed media studio artist, social activist, and storyteller who uses a repertoire of materials and creative processes to explore individual and global identities. Her artwork is often described as beautifully structured chaos. These densely layered compositions with bold and vibrant color palettes surround her subjects in various graphic ornamentation.
One of Maderazo’s creative process’s most important aspects is the connection each piece has to one’s authentic self. In her youth, art was a pivotal component in embracing her Filipino and transfem identity. As a result, her work can often be read as a pathway for self-exploration and diversity. In some cases, this may manifest itself through the physical materials she works with. Whether it’s paper and glue, paint and canvas, or birch wood and metal, Maderazo’s process of building up and carving away at visual strata is parallel to one’s path to an epiphany. Whether she’s working in printmaking, illustration, graphic design, book art, or traditional crafts, the struggle to impart her vision into a piece is a process of self-discovery. Her artwork becomes a human touchstone between herself and the audience. The fluency of symbols and Iconography play as large of a role in her process as an underdrawing, with the research of subject matter taking up hours in the lead up to the final piece. The time and process are necessary. Art has the potential to imbue the viewer with an insight into a world beyond the mundane. In turn, her authenticity and dedication to the intersectional communities behind her work is pivotal.