Manufacturers Village Artist Studios, located in an 1880’s historic industrial complex at 356 Glenwood Avenue in East Orange, NJ, will feature the work of over 60 different artists at its annual open studios weekend, Friday 10/15 (VIP Preview) and Saturday thru Sunday from 11-5, 10/16 and 10/17.
Cynthia Pareja Dubin is a Peruvian artist living in New Jersey. Her practice is based in painting and collage and reflects her heritage and formative years in Lima and Buenos Aires. Pareja Dubin’s work has been featured in several group exhibitions, including The Peruvian United Nations Fair (2012) and the New York Art Gallery, TriBeca, NYC (2019-2020). In 2021 Cynthia was awarded the Liquitex, Just Imagine Residency: Acrylic Mediums, a fully funded residency supported with a studio, professional development and materials in the Manufacturers Village. Pareja Dubin is drawn to the theory of art espoused by Wassily Kandinsky, particularly to his principle of “inner necessity” in art, the foundation of forms and the harmony of colors
Tell me about yourself and your art in the Liquitex residency.
This residency has given me the opportunity to meet an amazing community of artists and supporters, I have learned how to improve my techniques, engage in more art opportunities and learn from inspiring and encouraging mentors. I am thankful for the Liquitex team, The Fine Art Collective North America, Winsor and Newton and the judging panel for all their support, appreciation of my work and ideas. I will cherish it forever.
What will we see in your studio?
During my Residency, I was able to develop a series of collages and create dimensional layered pieces and experiment with Acrylics. I explored the concept of revitalizing old paintings to create something new in large scale pieces, taking fragments of the past, like memories, errors, things you dislike about yourself, and use them for a good purpose.
I cut organic shapes to create my compositions, all layered over an intricately blended background, to create their own universe. These pieces are now essential for my art because they are part of who I am. I enjoyed the great variety of mediums and as a collage artist the medium that helped me so much is the Gel Matte.
During the Open Studio, visitors will be able to see my finished work, as well as the process of how I start creating a composition—from the palette I select for my backgrounds to how I assemble my recycled textures and patterns to compose a unique structure. It is like manifesting a being from my own imagined universe.
All photo courtesy of the artist