A Life Between Two Worlds
Tania Marmolejo arrived in the world on September 5, 1975, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Her identity is a quiet blend of different landscapes, shaped by a Swedish mother and a father who worked as an engineer in the Cibao region. This connection to both Scandinavia and the Caribbean provided a unique foundation for her later explorations of self. Before she became known for her paintings, she studied graphic design and illustration in Norway, specifically in the cities of Harstad and Kristiansand.
Her path eventually led her back to the Dominican Republic, where she attended the Altos De Chavón School of Design. In 1998, a scholarship allowed her to move to New York City to study at Parsons The New School for Design. By the year 2000, she had completed her degree in Fine Arts and Illustration. This period of intense study in different continents helped shape the way she views the world through both a technical and an emotional lens.
The Language of Lines and Faces
Marmolejo’s early career was rooted in the precise work of illustration and animation. She worked for fashion and lifestyle sections of magazines like Obsidiana and contributed to the animation teams at studios such as Disney, MTV, and PBS. These years spent designing characters and backgrounds taught her how to communicate through subtle visual cues. Her work often uses these skills to explore much deeper themes of gender and identity.
In her paintings, she frequently focuses on large-scale portraits of women. These figures often feature wide-eyed, ambiguous facial expressions that seem to hold many secrets at once. She places these faces within fluid, wild landscapes, sometimes using the lush foliage of the Dominican Republic or the coastal scenery of Vancouver. Her technique involves a certain level of spontaneity, where she allows her brush to move freely, capturing micro-expressions that reflect internal emotions like anxiety or sadness.
Recognition and Creative Reach
Beyond the canvas, Marmole jejo has applied her eye for design to many different mediums. She has worked as a textile designer for brands such as Nicole Miller Intimates and the L’Amour line by Nanette Lepore. Her ability to translate art into functional objects even led to an artistic tile collection for Aguayo Tiles in her home country. This versatility is a hallmark of her professional life.
Her achievements include several honors that recognize both her artistic and design contributions:
- The CINE Award and ASIFA Award from her work in animation.
- Selection for the Fourth and Sixth Ibero-American Design Biennial in Madrid, Spain.
- The New York State Assembly Honor in 2010.
- Authoring a children's book series titled Tales of the biosphere reserve, which focuses on the flora and fauna of Hispaniola.
Today, she continues to live and work in New York. Her exhibitions have traveled far beyond the United States, appearing in galleries in Seoul, South Korea; Stockholm, Sweden; Madrid, Spain; and Dubai, UAE. Whether through a large portrait or a small illustration, her work remains focused on the delicate connection between the person and their environment.
