Note to Self: · @awyeahizzy · 1.26.23-2.9.23
Parachute Gallery · 1624 E 7th Ave #240, Tampa, FL 33605 · January 26-February 9, 2023
Opening Reception · Thursday, January 26, 2023, 6-9pm
A solo exhibition by Isabella Baquerizo aka @awyeahizzy (New York City, NY)
Curated by Jessica Todd
Note to Self: is the first solo exhibition of artist Isabella Baquerizo, who shares her work under the Instagram handle @awyeahizzy. Baquerizo often draws inspiration for her illustration work by collecting anonymous confessions, stories, and musings from friends and strangers. In Note to Self:, she illustrates her personal notes and her closest friends’ notes, created in Apple’s Notes app. The result is a series of playful, quirky manifestations of universal truths, affable allegories, and relatable sentiments. Viewers are invited to chuckle, smirk, and sigh in recognition.
“I want to capture conversations with strangers, overshared feelings, and the beauty of everyday moments that provoke profound ideas and inner thoughts. I write these down, illustrate them, or journal about them. I love revisiting these moments or feelings years later, remembering what I was going through, or how much I’ve grown. Discovering that my friends do the same thing made me feel so human.
Even though these notes are deeply personal and specific to the unique experiences of those who wrote them, by illustrating them, I give them new meaning—a shared, intimate, and vulnerable feeling that becomes universal.” ~Isabella Baquerizo aka @awyeahizzy
About the Artist
Isabella Baquerizo · New York City, NY · Isabella Baquerizo is a digital illustrator under the Instagram handle @awyeahizzy currently living in New York City. She was born in Ecuador and moved to Southwest Florida when she was fifteen years old. Baquerizo earned a BA in Art and Graphic Design at Florida Gulf Coast University, and during that time, worked as an intern at the prestigious Rauschenberg Residency in Captiva, FL. She is now the Director of Marketing & Content Creation for B3 Marketing. In her free time, Baquerizo enjoys people-watching, going on walks, reading, painting, and drawing. She is passionate about environmental sustainability, social activism, and being active in her community.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I capture everyday moments between conversations, relationships, feelings, and concepts that had an impact on me, in order to make the experience tangible. My process usually begins by drawing in my sketchbook and then digitalizing the images. This automatic process evokes a mindfulness that helps me dig deeper into my subconscious and gives me a sense of comfort and understanding.
My randomness ends in unexpected results, creating a story filled with satire and humorous content. My goal is to create something that’s emotive and relatable.
Isabella Baquerizo · Nueva York, NY · Isabella Baquerizo es una ilustradora digital bajo el nombre @awyeahizzy en Instagram. Isabella nació en Ecuador y se mudó a Florida cuando tenía quince años, y actualmente vive en la ciudad de Nueva York. Baquerizo estudió Arte y Diseño Gráfico en Florida Gulf Coast University, durante ese tiempo, trabajó una pasantia en la prestigiosa Residencia Rauschenberg en Captiva, FL. Ahora es la directora de marketing y creación de contenido de B3 Marketing. En su tiempo libre, a Isabella le gusta leer, pintar y dibujar. Le apasiona la conservación del medio ambiente, labor social y participar en su comunidad.
DECLARACIÓN DE ARTISTA
Capturo momentos cotidianos, conversaciones, y conceptos que me impactaron para procesar emocionalmente mis experiencias. Generalmente empiezo dibujando en mi sketchbook y luego digitalizando las imágenes. Este proceso me da una sensación de empatía y comprensión. Mis ilustraciones siempre tienen resultados inesperados, el contenido es divertido e irónico.
In the Shop
A rotating roster of regional and national artists are represented in the gallery shop.
Fairy Tale Teas, Marissa Kinsler · Odessa, FL · Marissa Kinsler is the creator, founder, and lead Fairy Godmother of Fairy Tale Teas. Forever a lover of fairytale princesses, desserts, and romantic tea parties, Kinsler knew from a young age that she would live a life that celebrated all things abundantly beautiful—a life where she would not only enjoy magic, but share it with others. Kinsler and her team of fae {fairytale creatures} scour countryside's all over the world in search of the perfect fairytale to inspire each magical tea blend.
Babette Herschberger · St. Petersburg, FL · Babette Herschberger completed an AS in graphic design with honors at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She then developed a studio practice as a painter and collage artist. In 2015, she was an artist in residence at ArtCenter South Florida/Oolite Arts in Miami. In 2021, her work was included in the Skyway exhibition at the University of South Florida’s Contemporary Art Museum. Her work was published in New American Paintings, edition #112, and is in the collection of Miami Dade College’s Museum of Art + Design, as well as a number of corporate and private collections. Herschberger began a study in ceramics at The Morean Center for Clay after relocating to St. Petersburg from Miami in 2018.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As long as I can remember I have appreciated and collected the work of ceramic artists. After having formally studied and practiced graphic design for a decade, I began building contemporary primitive furniture which morphed into a full-time painting practice of 25 years.
Upon relocating from Miami to St. Petersburg in 2018, I discovered an extensive environment of ceramic studios and artists in the region. Just weeks after my relocation I began taking classes at the Morean Center for Clay and like many, I was smitten with the process and have earnestly continued my pursuit of this medium. It is the most challenging yet rewarding medium I have ever undertaken. I have a great love of industrial design and have focused almost entirely on functional ceramic work, making primarily drinking vessels that have a focus on form and color, each new piece or series is in itself a design challenge. They are small sculptures to me.
Working in this utilitarian direction for the last four years has afforded me the ability to teach myself how to hand build with clay and left me with the headspace I need to continue my painting process. It is my aim to bring both my painting practice and my clay practice into a more cohesive body of work.
Cindy Liebel · Fredericksburg, VA · As an artist, Cindy Liebel has been a passionate visual storyteller for as long as she can remember. Her grandfather first inspired her love for photography, a craft she explored and honed during her formative years. The opportunity to learn and develop basic metalsmithing techniques in 2007, captivated her creativity and ultimately inspired her to rebrand and launch Cindy Liebel Jewelry in 2014. Since then, she has been refining her craft and continually seeking new ways to evoke emotion and delight customers through intentional design.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Cindy Liebel Jewelry is jewelry for the individual, the ever-curious collector who actively engages with the world and thrives on exploration. For every empowered individual, each piece is made to feel effortlessly comfortable, making style easy and timeless. You'll always find a diverse assortment of styles, crafted to outlast trends, gift giving, and for regular enjoyment, from leisure to your next noteworthy event.
My unwavering commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing pushes the limits of my creativity and invites me to explore new opportunities in design. All jewelry is mindfully crafted with sustainability in mind. I intentionally source all materials from supply chains that focus on environmental stability and that educate consumers about sustainable mining and ethical trade. To that end, I use recycled sterling silver, gold and other precious metals acquired from trusted, responsible suppliers, or I will recycle the metal myself. Whenever possible, I reuse raw materials and incorporate post-consumer materials in the packaging.
I draw inspiration from features of Scandinavian design aesthetics, contemporary architecture and Art Deco, including geometric patterns and abstract line art. My designs start with a hand-drawn sketch and are transformed into scaled paper models, allowing me to see the form and shape of the design in a more tangible way.
Exhibiting artist @awyeahizzy also has artwork in the shop!
