Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Puente.
Hi Mark, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I created Nailivic Studios in 2015 with my wife, Amy Exah, who is also a creative. Nailivic is Civilian in reverse, and I am rooted in the philosophy that we all have the right and responsibility to change society and the world for the better. Art is my tool of choice.
I am a Boston native with Salvadoran roots and was raised in Guatemala by my mother, an avid global folk art collector and teacher. I was surrounded by themes of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Mexican Lotería, inspired by intricate Guatemalan textiles, colorful Huipil markets, painted wooden Alebrijes from Oaxaca and other folk art from around the world. As a child artist, I would mimic the intricate and patterned chaos of many global examples, ranging from Japanese woodblock prints and African mud cloths to more modern influences like H.R. Gieger and Mœbius.
After meeting my wife and co-collaborator in Guatemala in 2008, we later moved to Lima, Peru, where I was again surrounded by fantastically-detailed and elaborate folk art. After two years in Peru, we moved to Austin in 2012, where Amy had lived 14 years prior during her time at UT Austin. It was here that we stumbled upon laser-cut artwork of Julio Carreon-Reyes at the Cherrywood Art Show in 2012 and I found a medium that could truly capture what I pictured in my head; transforming my illustrations into dimensional and colorful modern folk art. A few years later, Amy surprised me with a class at MakeATX, a member-based laser cutting studio in East Austin, and after seeing a tiny example of my pen and ink line work, cut and etched perfectly into a piece of wood, I knew I had found a missing puzzle piece. After a year of experimenting with the lasers at MakeATX, I was invited to participate in the 2015 Cherrywood Art Show and it was there we discovered that a living could be made off my art.
My detailed pen and ink illustrations are now transformed into colorful wood engravings, an expression of my deep connection to indigenous creativity. Each piece provides a lesson, a reflection and a story which guides the observer through my naïve and playful world of line and color. Amy and I collectively deliberate on each design, finding a common thread in both of our stories as well as how it connects with the world and society, using both of our voices to express an idea, a question, a change we would like to see.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We have definitely been blessed with a huge support system here in Austin. From the energetic and open artistic community to the financial and educational tools of the City itself, I have enjoyed nothing but open arms since I began my career as a working artist and business owner.
That being said, this has been the hardest endeavor of my life and it certainly has come with its share of challenges. Texas has many opportunities for well-attended art shows, and Austin has a glorious array of small fairs and weekly pop-ups. It’s easy to fill a year with non-stop vending opportunities and that is exactly what we did. I set up shop just almost a hundred times between 2017-2019 before my body and mind pulled the emergency brake and stopped me in my tracks with a pair of breakdowns in 2019. That led to a period of deep self-reflection and prioritization of what I was truly capable of.
Just as I readied myself to take on 2020 with a more focused schedule and direction, the world’s wheels came off with global shutdown and a year’s worth of shows and income went down the drain. Instead of finding a creative “pivot”, I just couldn’t find it in me to create new art. The empath in me was simply overwhelmed with the loss and tragedy that the world was experiencing. Thankfully, with the support of Amy, therapy, family and friends, I was able to get back on my feet and with the help of a SBA grant, we were able to bring Nailivic Studios out of hibernation and purchase our very own laser cutter! We hit the ground running in October and had an amazing series of shows for the first time since 2019. All the struggle, hard work and financial investment truly paid off and we stand ready for 2022 and the opportunities it will bring.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While my designs are available in several formats like apparel and screen prints, it is the laser cut artwork that gets the most attention. Nothing makes me happier than the offhand comment of “wow, I’ve never seen anything like this before!” as a piece is held in hand, a visceral example of texture and technology, color and detail. When we are able to share the stories and ideas behind a design, our patrons feel a deeper connection to the work and that storytelling aspect is part of what gives me the most pleasure in sharing my work. For example, the iconic “El Corazón – The Heart” design, inspired by the Mexican Lotería image of the same name, has the tagline, “Fear in the Heart, Fire in the Eyes”. This piece speaks to the “fear in the heart” that can sometimes paralyze us but or make us feel inadequate, but if harnessed correctly, that fear can become fuel for the “fire in the eyes” and the motivation that’s needed to overcome any obstacle!
I also believe that a big part of creating folk art is the opportunity to share knowledge and artistic methods with the community. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from the community of artists and makers at MakeATX and I love giving back and sharing lessons I’ve learned with others who are delving into using this medium to create art.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I think the three things that define my youth are creativity, curiosity and confusion! Growing up in Boston laid the creative foundation with exposure to incredible galleries and the Science Museum just minutes away, but it was the move to Guatemala, at the age of ten, that really opened up my eyes. I journeyed through these diverse experiences with a sense of wonder and shock, constantly asking questions and processing the answers through doodles and sketches in my notebook. A ball of semi-organized chaos, I found myself equally engaged in comic books and Dungeons and Dragons as I did in space exploration and engineering. In the end, it was my desire to tell stories that allowed me to tap into the social consciousness of folk and pop art as genres. Embracing the stark contrasts and intricate simplicity of the patterns and colors of Alebrijes, Día de Los Muertos and José Guadalupe Posada, my style is born of the journey of my youth, and each design is inspired by a story embedded in my past.
Contact Info:
- Email: nailivicstudios@gmail.com
- Website: nailivic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nailivic/
- Facebook: facebook.com/nailivic
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAwgX0TOQIY
Image Credits
Gaeb Ramirez (silveriohouse.com)
