Artist Creates Textured Portraits of Women With Mixed Media

Mixed media and pastels artwork by Jill Maytorena

“Adornment,” Pastel & Mixed Media, Panel, 36 in. x 48 in. x 1 in.

In the works of Jill Maytorena, mixed media has a purpose—to reflect the many layers of meaning in each of her portraits. The California-based artist daringly combines pastels, paper, embroidery, and cloth to paint richly textured compositions anchored by the human figure. The result is a series of tactile narratives that explore memory and identity, challenging the viewer to look beneath the surface.

Maytorena developed an interest in a variety of materials from a young age. “Growing up, I was surrounded by vibrant floral wallpaper, textiles, and handcrafted objects,” the artist tells My Modern Met. “Living in both England and the [United] States exposed me to different visual traditions. My family encouraged creativity through museums, crafts, drawing and painting and making things by hand. I had the freedom to get my hands dirty and make a creative mess. Those early experiences shaped an appreciation for ornament, repetition, textures, pigments and the stories that materials can tell.”

Now, the artist draws from myriad sources, from junk drawers to eclectic fabrics from Los Angeles’s Garment District. These motifs are then translated into her dynamic female portraits. “My compositions are usually inspired by the sense of movement or gesture of the figure as I try to capture them in the moments between a pose,” she adds. The women in her work are all real, with many being part of her life. “I love knowing who they are and some of their stories,” Maytorena says.

When selecting what materials to work with, Maytorena says that what matters is that they have a story before she found them. Every work begins with an aluminum composite panel. Then come screen-printed papers, patterned upholstery fabrics, and even fragments of wallpaper, all which boast some degree of texture. “Screen printed papers are probably my favorite though,” she says. “Because of the screen print process, the ink is slightly raised, and this creates a texture that I can pick up with the drawing.” After adding embellishments like embroidery and feathers, the portrait then comes alive with pastels. “Although I use soft pastels the most (my favorite!) I also use harder pastels and pastel pencils,” the artist shares.

The artist describes her creative process as all about chaos, possibilities, and cohesion. “The chaos comes from a sense of unlimited possibilities,” she explains. “In the beginning I do not curate my choices for materials. I allow myself to intuitively select patterns and colors and other elements. I like to use materials that do not ‘belong’ together. I usually have a model and moment in mind at the beginning of this process. The cohesion is finding the harmony within the sort of visual, junk drawer mess of mixed media. There is a lot of discovery at this point, and I find connections between the materials and the figure.”

As for what she hopes people will take away from her work, the artist says, “Rather than offering a single narrative, I hope the work creates space for viewers to see themselves within it. The layered figures and patterns suggest that we are all composites, and our stories are continually formed by what we notice, what we keep, and what we choose to carry forward.”

To stay up to date with the artist, follow her on Instagram.