Monica Marks
Biography
Monica Marks is a Los Angeles-based painter and sculptor known for her innovative use of found and recycled materials. Her mixed media works are realized as both wall and pedestal pieces, combining painting and sculpture in unexpected ways. As an expressionist, Monica balances assemblage and contemporary art, often addressing themes of invisible disabilities and identity.
Monica holds a BA in Art from California State University, Northridge, and an MA in Clinical Art Therapy from Loyola Marymount University. She is an annual resident artist at Desert Dairy in 29 Palms and, this year, also attended an awarded residency at Playa Summer Lake. Monica draws inspiration from objects with history, finding beauty in the discarded. Her work has earned recognition, including second place in "Collector's Choice" at Studio Channel Islands Art Center and awards at the 36th and 37th Annual All Media Juried Exhibitions at MOAH Cedar. Her recent solo installation, "Mindful Currents," curated by James MacDevitt, featured a large multimedia jellyfish aquarium at Cerritos College, offering a meditative experience for visitors.
Monica recently had work featured in "Opulent Mobility" at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, curated by A. Laura Brody and Anthony Tusler. She currently maintains a studio at The Los Angeles Makery in Little Tokyo.
Monica’s upcoming solo show, "Abandoned," opens October 25, 2025, at Gallery 825 in West Hollywood, exploring the visual and emotional resonance of abandoned homesteads in Wonder Valley and Twentynine Palms, CA.
Artist Statement
I create art that brings hidden identities, disabilities, and emotions into the open—shedding light on what is often left unseen. My work directly addresses biases and social norms rooted in misogyny, ableism, racism, body-shaming, and anti-Semitism. I challenge the stigma surrounding mental health and aim to normalize asking for help.
My background as an art therapist, along with my personal experiences with depression, anxiety, and neurodiversity, deeply shapes my practice. Each piece is informed by lived experience and an ongoing process of self-discovery.
I work in mixed media, letting the subject matter guide my choice of materials. My process includes sculpted forms, painting, collage, found objects, and ephemera. I am especially mindful of our current climate emergency and strive to repurpose and reuse materials whenever possible—transforming discarded objects into art as a way to reduce waste and spark conversations about sustainability. Sometimes I use words and images from vintage magazines; other times, I assemble weathered wood and rusted metal. Recently, I’ve been working on larger surfaces, exploring new textures and compositions to push my work in new directions.
I draw inspiration from artists like Edward Kienholz, whose installations showed me the impact of raw, found materials; Tracey Emin, whose autobiographical work encourages openness and vulnerability; Joseph Cornell, whose shadow boxes influence my approach to design and materials; and Michael McMillen, whose immersive assemblages have shaped how I use found objects to create narrative environments.
For my first solo show, “What We Hide: An Exploration of Hidden Disability and Identity,” I created “The Mask Series”—handmade plaster masks on canvas that explore the tension between inner and outer selves. By sharing my own emotional landscape, I hope viewers recognize their own hidden struggles and feel less alone.
Whether I’m addressing gender inequality, white privilege, or the realities of anxiety, my goal is to reach people who feel isolated or pressured to hide their true selves. I want my work to serve as a reminder: You are not alone, and what’s hidden deserves to be seen.
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