Maria Cecilia Molina (Mariacem) is an abstract painter based in Greenwich, CT. She was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and also lived in Spain before relocating to the U.S. with her husband and three children in 2008.

Though mostly self-taught as a painter, Mariacem’s formation as an urban planner introduced her to the concepts of design, color theory, perspective, and architectural representation. She extended her art education at the New York School of Interior Design in NYC, Norwalk Community College in Norwalk, CT, Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan, CT, and Greenwich Art Society School Of Visual Art in Greenwich, CT. 

Her artwork has been displayed in Connecticut galleries and private collections in Caracas, Madrid, New York City, Connecticut and Florida. Her studio is located at her home.

To learn more about Mariacem and her process, please read the Artist Close Up interview by clicking here.

I grew up in Caracas where the city spreads out into a valley surrounded by magnificent mountains. I spent the weekends of my youth among cows, horses, hills, pastures, and untouched Caribbean beaches. My work retraces the landscapes and colors of my past: the undulating waves, hills, plants, the vibrant colors, warm weather and tropical nature of my birth country of Venezuela.

I choose acrylic as the main medium for my paintings. I apply multiple layers of paint on textured backgrounds that I create with a range of tools such as gels, tile adhesive, sponge foam, spatulas and craft paper. My process is unconstrained, a delicate balance between caution and spontaneity. An idea for a drawing might arise in a dream and later transform into a painting that is much different from what was originally envisioned. The abstract character of my work allows me great flexibility for transforming the world I observe into the rhythmic and unique world I imagine. 

I admire the art of painters such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, Robert Delaunay, Maurice Esteve, Jasha Green and Julie Mehretu, as well as the art of my late mother, Angelina Molina, who was a great realist and impressionist painter.