This page is a selection of the work that Graciela has created over the past two years. Most of these portraits are either previous commissions and are not currently for sale, but serve to show her range and style of painting.
20x34 Mixed Media and Acrylic on Canvas
The clown makeup represents the absurdity of today’s beauty standards, while the backdrop--a haphazard collage of torn beauty ads, social media icons, and headlines about teen mental health--is a critique of unrealistic beauty standards and the perils of not accepting imperfections. However, the gold ribbon between the collage pieces represents the Japanese concept of Kintsugi--a form of art that repairs broken pottery with gold to create something that is exquisite because of its flaws. This is meant to remind us that despite our imperfections, we are never too broken and that our imperfections make us each uniquely beautiful.
The Northshore Stars
24X36 Acrylic on rolled canvas
Graciela's latest work is a group portrait of the Platinum Cast's lead roles, Cady, Janise, and Damian from JAMS/SMASH Theater's 2024 production of Mean Girls. This portrait offered her a chance to play around with portraying realistic figures in an neon aesthetic.
Metamorphosis
18X24" Self Portrait
This self-portrait was painted as an entry to the 2023 National PTA Reflections Art Contest. The prompt for this years submissions was "I am hopeful because..." and students were told to submit an artist statement to communicate what inspired the work, and how it relates to the theme. Graciela's artist statement said: "I am hopeful because I know that profound growth often happens after periods of intense darkness--“Just as the caterpillar thought all hope was lost, it turned into a butterfly.” The figure in the shadows represents me when I was struggling with mental health issues through the pandemic lockdown, when it felt like there was little to hope for. The figure in the forefront represents me now, emerging from that period of personal darkness with a renewed sense of hope for the future, which is represented by the butterfly that I am gazing up at."
This portrait won the 1st place Award of Excellence three times--at the school site level, SMMUSD District level, and the 33rd District of California level. It also placed second at the California State PTA level.
Thelonious Monk
Graciela painted this 6X8" canvas patch of American jazz pianist and composer, Thelonious Monk, for her father's jean jacket.
Mr. Smith
Mr. Smith was a student teacher in the Wind Ensemble when she was in 7th grade. He was actively involved with the school's band program all year, and when he announced that he was leaving to begin his own teaching career, she painted this portrait as a going-away gift.
The Popsicle Melted
Sandy
Works In Progress:
Fractured Facade as a work in progress
Karol G Commission