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Profile: Maricela Xuncax Lazo

Maricela Xuncax Lazo paints at the Latinos Unidos Siempre Urban Art Fest in Salem, Ore. on Aug. 31, 2024.
Photo by Audrey Caro

Maricela Xuncax Lazo’s first memories of making art are from elementary school. Art-centric afterschool programs provided art supplies and crafting materials that were not easily attainable for someone in a low-income household.“These programs were often volunteer led, and the adults I interacted with would dote on me and encourage me to create essentially what my heart desired,” Xuncax said. “There I learned about scrapbooking, was able to paint, sew my own stuffed animals, and learn how to create quilts.”Family members and teachers often praised Xuncax’s creativity, which gave her the confidence to express herself and her ideas through art despite her shy nature.“I’m very thankful that I was able to have various opportunities in my childhood and adolescence to manipulate and explore so many different mediums,” Xuncax said. “Everything that I create now is due to that early exposure and is able to help me teach myself through experiences while painting.”One of Xuncax’s earliest influences was her mother, who would draw and use her sewing skills to transform and beautify their home.“I have always been a visual person and had been told that I had a grand imagination,” Xuncax said. “My artwork stems from that. Some of my current influences include Monet with his impressionist paintings. I feel like I enjoy painting the most when I paint the world as I perceive it, as opposed to through a rigid/traditional lens.”Xuncax experiences a rollercoaster of emotions when she creates.“Growing up I was used to not struggling much with learning,” she said. “Now as an adult, I try to put myself in situations where I can feel challenged, to have a healthy sense of frustration.”Often when she begins a painting, Xuncax feels a sense of lingering anxiousness about whether she can accurately represent or convey the images in her head through the medium of paint.“The hardest part is always getting started,” Xuncax said. “Other times I feel frustrated when I come across challenges, such as the paint or medium not acting the way I thought it would, or my colors not coming out right. The wonderful thing about paint is how easy it is to wipe off or to paint over. The most satisfying part of painting is when you’ve finally trusted the process and begin to see the fruits of your labor. When everything is finally coming together, I feel so elated.”Xuncax loves hearing people’s interpretations of her artwork.“By listening to others, I broaden my own perspectives,” she said. “I want people to connect and to feel nostalgic when they see my work. I hope that people can feel what I feel when creating these pieces.”~
Maricela Xuncax Lazo is a multimedia Latine artist based in Beaverton, Oregon. Themes consist of celebrating her Guatemalan, Mexican, American family histories and cultures. Many of her works also incorporate florals and magical realism, and reflect her perspectives and lens of the world as child. She loves to create with her younger siblings and creating mini foods out of polymer clay is among their favorite activities.

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