Meet Maribel Guzman, December’s featured artist
As part of our ongoing 40th anniversary celebrations, we are featuring a different CE artist and logo every month of 2023! Read more about our 40th anniversary and our featured artists ▸
A portrait of Maribel Guzman in front of one of her artworks
On a Thursday afternoon in the studio, Maribel is hunched over her table, intently sketching a scene of birds and flowers on a canvas panel. She nods vigorously when asked if the three colorful tapestries hanging above her head are her works—then goes right back to drawing.
Introducing Maribel Guzman, a quietly impactful artist and a pillar of Creativity Explored’s studio. Born in 1966 in El Salvador and currently residing in San Francisco's Mission District, Maribel has been an enduring presence in the Creativity Explored community since 2001.
Maribel is a versatile artist, exploring ceramics and 2D art in her two decades at the studio, but she is most known for her embroidered textile works. In the studio, Maribel transforms imagination into reality, weaving dreamlike scenes that seamlessly blend figures and animals. Her work, characterized by meticulous details and vibrant colors, often narrates compelling stories, featuring family groups, lush gardens, or inviting interiors.
Growing up in poverty in El Salvador, Maribel’s family couldn’t afford to teach her to speak. After migrating to San Francisco, her voice emerged through her art. Maribel’s creations, laden with meticulous detail, tell stories of family, inviting interiors, and the simplicity of life.
“Maribel never stops: she’s always stitching, stitching, stitching... She’s working day and night.”
Maribel's meticulous daily routine reflects her commitment to her craft. Drawing on fabric, adding intricate details, and stitching together her creations is a labor of love. Home is her sanctuary, where she is surrounded by the comforting presence of her preferred materials: books, fabric, pens, pencils, markers, paint, and threads. Our studio on 16th Street hosts Maribel just a couple of times a week, where she comes often to collaborate with Teaching Artist Pilar Olabarria, CE’s longest-serving employee.
Various textile works by one of Creativity Explored’s legacy artists Maribel Guzman
Maribel Guzman holding up an embroidered drawing
Maribel loves to embroider on printed fabric, enhancing the shapes of birds, figures, flowers, and more with funky and bright colored thread. She will often take fabric and other materials home and work prodigiously, drawing or embroidering on pieces of fabric. She brings these pieces back to the studio to work with Pilar, who often sews the individual pieces together into larger works — from totes, to tapestries, to clothes.
“Creating new things is her life — besides going to church.”
Beyond her role as Maribel’s artistic collaborator, Pilar is a trusted confidante to Maribel's family, helping Maribel’s mother translate government forms and navigate bureaucratic processes. Pilar visits Maribel at home regularly, going for walks, and sharing meals, most often at the Spanish restaurant Picaro, which Maribel loves.
The heartbeat of Maribel's world, aside from her dedicated art practice, is the deep bond she shares with her mother. Together, Maribel and her mother actively participate in their church community, busily attending events throughout the city and joyously celebrating every Catholic holiday.
What truly brings joy to Maribel is the sincere admiration and recognition for her art from the public, CE staff, and her peers. She delights in seeing her work integrated into large quilts and outfits, proudly displayed in galleries or other public spaces. In 2008, she stood in the spotlight as one of four featured artists selected by Recchiuti Confections for their Artisan Series of chocolates.
Maribel Guzman next to one of her textile works
Maribel's story is not just about art; it's a celebration of resilience, passion, and the silent connections that art fosters within a community. To conclude Creativity Explored’s 40th anniversary celebrations and our series of features honoring our legacy artists, we invite you to join us in appreciating the depth of Maribel’s talent, and the richness she brings to the world through her art.
