We’re looking forward to introducing you to Marlene Jorge. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Marlene, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Many moments of laughter remind me that joy has always been a natural state in my life. Recently, I felt deeply proud after receiving the Collectors’ Art Prize—a recognition that honors my journey as an artist.
This past year has been one of the most difficult for me, filled with challenges that tested my strength. Yet, being acknowledged on a global stage reaffirmed that everything is aligning for my greatest good. No matter how deep the wounds, I cannot give up on myself or my dreams. This recognition is not just an award—it’s proof that resilience and faith carry us exactly where we are meant to be.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Marlene Jorge Cruz, and I am a visual artist and creative entrepreneur. Through my brand, I merge pop surrealism, symbolism, and emotional alchemy to create artworks that reflect the subconscious mind, feminine power, and the transformation of pain into beauty. My creative process is deeply personal—each piece is like a diary entry, born from emotions, dreams, and lived experiences—yet it resonates universally with those who have walked through struggle and still choose to rise.
What makes my work unique is not only the aesthetic—bold colors, surreal forms, and layered symbolism—but also the intention behind it. I see art as more than an object; it’s a mirror, a healing tool, and a portal into self-discovery. My brand extends beyond the canvas into wearable art, prints, digital experiences, and curated collaborations, making creativity accessible while keeping a sense of luxury and depth.
Right now, I am focused on expanding globally—bringing my collections to galleries, collectors.. My mission is to inspire people to see themselves in my work and to remind them that even in the darkest seasons, creativity and resilience can light the way forward.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a wild, curious soul—a girl who painted her own skies, who felt everything deeply, who believed in magic hidden in everyday life. I was unapologetically myself, guided by instinct, laughter, and the certainty that dreams were not only possible, but inevitable. I used to write stories about magical creatures and worlds.
Then came expectations, labels, and the heavy costumes the world hands us to wear. Yet, beneath it all, that original version of me never died—she waited, patient and resilient, until I was strong enough to remember her.
Now, through my art and my voice, I am returning to her—to the freedom, the wonder, the courage that existed long before the world tried to shape me.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wounds of my life have been rooted in loss, emotional and sexual trauma, betrayal, and invisibility. I have endured the heartbreak of losing people I loved, being silenced when I had so much to say, and giving my heart where it was broken instead of held. My path has been marked by narcissistic abuse, sexual and emotional trauma, bullying, being targeted, and misunderstood for simply being myself. Also, the loss of my father carved a wound that has not healed yet; he was my greatest love.
It has not been easy—but every wound has carved strength into me, shaping both the woman and the artist I am becoming. My scars have become my teachers, guiding me toward resilience, compassion, and depth.
I am extremely grateful for these lessons, because they have not destroyed me—they have transformed me. They are the reason my art carries truth, my voice carries weight, and my soul carries the unshakable conviction that I was born to rise, no matter what.
For years, I tried to cover those wounds with strength, with perfection, with survival. But real healing didn’t begin until I stopped running from my pain and chose to sit with it—to let it speak. Through art, writing, and spiritual practices, I began to turn wounds into wisdom. Every brushstroke became a release, every page of my diary a mirror, every prayer a lifeline.
Healing, for me, hasn’t been about erasing scars. It has been about making them sacred—understanding that they are proof I lived, I loved, I fought, and I survived. My wounds became the birthplace of my greatest gifts: resilience, compassion, creativity, and the ability to see beauty where others see ruin.
I am still healing, but now I know: the things that once tried to destroy me became the very fire that forged me.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is real—but it isn’t the whole story. What people see is truth, but it’s curated truth, shaped by light. The real me also carries shadows, doubts, and unspoken battles that don’t always make it to the surface, battles that few can understand and honor their value.
I believe both versions are authentic—the one the world sees, and the one I keep close. My art, however, is where they meet. On the canvas, I don’t filter or perform; I bleed the unseen into color, into form, into symbols. That’s where the most hidden parts of me live freely.
So yes, the public me is real—but the private me is where the deepest truths are held. And every time someone resonates with my work, they’re not just meeting the public version of me—they’re brushing against the soul of who I truly am.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had 10 years left, I would stop shrinking myself to fit other people’s comfort. I am a natural giver, but I would no longer pour into places that only take. I would stop second-guessing my worth, stop entertaining half-love, stop explaining my spirit to those committed to misunderstanding it.
I would no longer waste time in spaces where my presence is merely tolerated instead of celebrated. I would stop trying to prove myself and instead live fully in my art, my voice, my joy, and my freedom.
Time is the greatest currency. With 10 years left, I would spend it boldly—creating without restraint, loving with my whole heart, laughing without apology, traveling the world, and leaving behind a body of work that breathes long after I’m gone. My legacy would not only be one of love, but also of hope—for every neurodivergent artist who dares to dream beyond limitation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artistmarlenejorge.com/about
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlenejorgeartist/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlenejorge/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoathTatum
Image Credits
Marlene Jorge Artist @All Rights Reserved
