Karla Natalie
Colored pencil
"La Raíz" 2023 Colored pencil, 9x12
"La Raíz" 2023 - Colored pencil, 9x12
Oil
“El Dinero No Lo Es Todo” 2024 - Oil on canvas, 16x20
"Birthright Migration" Mixed Media on canvas, 16x20
Graphite
Tattoos
Artist
statement
La Raíz 2023 - Colored pencil, 9x12
About Me
I did not begin my journey as an artist in a studio. I began it through lived experience. Three years ago, I started experimenting with colored pencils, focusing on color realism. What began as curiosity quickly became purpose. That early exploration became the catalyst that led me to formally study Studio Art, where I discovered oil painting, a medium that now allows me to express both the vibrancy and complexity of my experiences in ways I had never imagined.
My work is deeply influenced by Latin culture and shaped by my life as a first-generation American, Marine Corps veteran, wife, and mother. These intersecting identities inform not only what I create, but why I create. While I am drawn to vibrant colors and visually striking compositions, my artistic focus has evolved toward something more intentional, using my work to illuminate the realities and injustices immigrants across the United States continue to face.
Through my paintings, I aim to tell stories that are often overlooked, to create space for reflection, and to elevate voices that deserve to be heard. Art, for me, is not only a form of expression, but also a platform for dialogue, awareness, and change.
Equally important to my journey is the hope that my work inspires others, particularly women and mothers, to pursue their passions unapologetically. Many of us place our dreams on hold while we care for others. My path into art later in life is a reminder that it is never too late to reclaim those dreams and transform them into something meaningful.
My intention is simple but powerful: to use art as a voice, to create with purpose, and to inspire others to do the same.
Karla Natalie Madrigal is an artist born and raised in Sacramento, California, where she continues to reside and work. She started her art career three years ago, experimenting with colored pencils which led to a desire to learn the fundamentals of art.
She grew up in South Sacramento, youngest of three siblings, to immigrant parents from El Salvador. After high school, she enlisted in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. She moved back home after completing her service, where she met her husband, Angelo, a renowned tattoo artist. They have two children together.
Madrigal worked as a licensed nail artist for several years, and together they opened a tattoo shop. Introduced to a new world of art, she expressed her interest in tattooing as well. Her experience as a veteran, wife, and mother of two has laid the foundation for her career in art. The nurturing connection between her and her children has revealed a new perspective along with a desire to set an example for them to stand up for others.
Her work reflects the current climate of injustices immigrants around the United States are facing. Her goal is to create with intention while honoring the roots of her culture, in hopes to bring attention to the importance of diversity and immigrants.
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