Congrats Gaby Marvan on your selection as Arts Midwest 2025 Cultural Bearers Award

Gabriela Jiménez Marván (Wisconsin)

“My artistic path is rooted in cartonería (the Mexican folk tradition of paper-and-paste sculpture), first introduced to me in the vibrant festivities of my childhood in Cuernavaca, Mexico. In 2016, I began training with traditional masters such as Monica Franco and Raziel Pacheco, whose families have practiced cartonería for generations. Later, I had the honor of learning from the renowned Leonardo Linares. I also studied at the Center of Arts and the Folk Art Museum in Morelos before moving to the United States.

In 2020, I founded the Mexican Folk Art Collective, a space for artists to preserve and share traditions in Wisconsin. Since then, we have co-organized Día de Muertos celebrations in the Driftless Region, developed school programs, and curated exhibitions with museums and galleries. My workshops and presentations have been welcomed by nonprofits, ecological organizations, and institutions including the Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee, the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., Latino Arts, and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

In 2021, I was selected for Mexico’s National Cultural Conferences for migrant artists, which produced the international touring exhibition “Corazón Migrante.” More recently, I received a Wisconsin Arts Board apprenticeship grant in 2024 and presented large-scale alebrijes (fantastical folk creatures) at Sauk County’s Art DTour.

I believe traditional art sparks creativity and fosters belonging, building bridges between heritage and community. Through teaching and sharing these traditions, I hope to cultivate cultural pride, freedom of expression, and understanding across communities.