Garden of Dreams

Mariel Ylagan Garcia

“Garden of Dreams”

Oil on canvas

20"x 20"

2020

In times of adversity what does being grounded and hopeful mean? Being grounded means having a solid foundation of who you really are and what your values are. Stay humble, humane and civilized. The blooming flower symbolizes hope and reminds you to keep it blooming and thriving.

Mariel Ylagan Garcia (b. 1994) is a visual artist and the illustrator of “Kain Na! An Illustrated Guide to Philippine Food"" which was nominated Best in Illustration at the 2020 World Gourmand Awards in Madrid. Her body of watercolor and oil work often features a mixture of anatomical and botanical subjects that expresses a dark yet feminine, dream-like imagery drawn from her own reality and the people around her. At a young age, she decided to pursue the artistic journey full time after recognizing her artistic skills and her love for creating. She interned at the Ayala Museum in 2014 and finished Multimedia Arts at Malayan Colleges Laguna in 2015. Garcia's exhibitions include those in Secret Fresh, JStudio, Art for Space PH, White Walls Gallery, Super Duper Gallery, Space Encounters Gallery, Nuzen Art Gallery, Art Anton and Galerie Roberto and collaborated with international brands like Huawei and Levi's Philippines.