Featured WBC Takeover Artist: Maria Aranes of Remnants of Nature
Maria Aranes of Remnants of Nature
“Hi, Maria here of @remnantsofnature. A quick THANK YOU to @woodburncorner for featuring BIPOC artists this week and selecting me to be one of them. And thank you @burnt_toast.etc for bringing this opportunity to my attention. That’s one thing I truly appreciate about IG, the true sense of community, especially amongst pyrographers. To be honest, when I first joined IG I was a little hesitant to reach out to other pyrographers because I’m a mixed media artist and incorporate pyrography into my work but my passion is moss art. As a result, I just wasn’t sure where or if I fit in amongst them and honestly, they’ve been so welcoming and supportive of my artistic journey.
Last year, I was able to see how the art community truly comes together when I was organizing an online fundraiser to support the #BLM movement and with only 2 weeks of preparation, various artists and I were able to raise $1,500 for various #BLM organizations. It truly moved my heart knowing there are others who want to make a difference for positive change and demonstrate allyship in the art community.
And that’s my main motivation for taking the opportunity to speak on @woodburncorner’s platform- to show other BIPOC artists, especially Filipino-Americans even though at times you may not feel like you “fit in” it’s important to be true to yourself, follow your heart and continue to persevere when pursuing your dreams. Your voice matters, your art matters, there is a community that wants to know you and see your work. In the art community, I rarely see BIPOC artists, let alone Fil-Am artists, so hopefully this inspires those out there to create and share their talents with the world.
With that said, what do I create as an artist? I make nature look haute by using moss, wood and fire. I create bespoke art with timeless sophistication for special occasions (eg, weddings, newborn nurseries, pet portraits) and/or home decor. To check out my work you can find me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, or my website (which will be getting updated before my new moss art collection is released) at: remnantsofnature.com
Thanks for reading, I hope to see more of you around here and if you have any questions, feel free to send me a DM. Have a great day!”
Follow Maria on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or www.remnantsofnature.com