Gabriela Jiménez Marván
Viroqua, Wisconsin
Based in Viroqua, Wisconsin, my passion is to create timeless art that surpass trends and create a feeling that brings the community together.
I have been creating sculptures, murals, and illustrations for over ten years.
Experiencing the sensation of creating sculptures through a traditional technique: cartonería (coming to Mexico from Spain in the 16th Century), I use structures of wire, reed frame, or clay molds followed by layers of paper. Cartonería’s texture is smoother and stronger than that of most papier-mâché. Cartonería comes from the word cartón, which means cardboard or heavy paper. One of the foremost celebrations nowadays in Mexico is Day of the Dead, the celebration where the dead are honored and remembered. Artists of paper (cartoneros) create Catrinas (dressed skeleton ladies), skulls, and skeletons to decorate streets, museums, or cultural places from October 31 to November 2.
Día de Muertos at Madison Public Library, Lakeview
OCT 31, 2026
I will be on October 31 at the Madison Public Library, Lakeview.
Join me to build the community ofrenda, paper flowers workshop (the flowers will be part of the community archway that will be part of the ofenda), and we will sing together the Calaveras song!
Free and Open to the Public.
Axolotl Alebrijes at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum
NOV 6 and 7
Join me at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum for a two day workshop for adults. You will learn the basis of an armature sculpture working with cartonería, the traditional technique from Mexico used for festivities in my hometown and different part of Mexico.
Dive into the world of sculptural form, Mexican folk art, and water-inspired storytelling in this two-day cartonería workshop for adults. Over the course of the workshop, participants will create a sculptural axolotl, Mexico’s iconic “smiling” salamander, while exploring its cultural, ecological, and symbolic significance.
Culture Exchange – Day of the Day at
Above and Beyond Children’s Museum- Sheboygan, WI
As a part of the cultural exchange in Above and Beyond Children’s Museum, I was honored to design and build two alebrijes that will be there for two years! Visit them in Sheboygan at the Museum!
2025 Midwest Culture Bearer Award!
photo credit: Natalie Hinahara
I’d love to share some great news with you! I’ve received the 2025 Midwest Culture Bearer Award form Midwest Arts, alongside eight other incredible artists.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to all my friends, community partners, and fellow artists who’ve been part of our events, workshops, exhibitions, and cultural conversations through the years. This recognition truly means a lot, but more than that, it feels like a visibility of the community, the one that we keep building together.
A special thank you to Driftless Curiosity, the nonprofit that has partnered with the MFA Collective to host our main event, the Driftless Region’s Día de Muertos. I also want to acknowledge the Día committee, Joy Miller, Ireri Andrea Muñiz, Gloria Alicia Alatorre, Heidi Zepeda, and Rufus Haucke, and all the artists from the Mexican Folk Art Collective who continue to walk this path with me.
Our voices and actions matter. Thank you to every organization and individual who has opened their doors and supported us along the way.
-Gabriela Jiménez Marván
My work embrace community engagement, working on projects that promote learning and positive impact. My relocation to the USA in 2019 precipitated the founding of the Mexican Folk Art Collective alongside Ryan (my husband) during the pandemic in 2020. Through this initiative, we have orchestrated numerous murals across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Mexico, integrating our diverse backgrounds into a cohesive artistic narrative. I enjoy leading cultural dialogues and collaborations with institutions such as local schools and libraries and the Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee. The Mexican Folk Art Collective showcases a commitment to cultural exchange and community enrichment.
“I moved to Viroqua in 2019, bringing Mexico with me through my art and now through my artist friends’ art. I love the idea of preserving and sharing part of my culture, working with tradition while creating my own style in colorful sculptures of recycled paper that becomes a Catrina, a skull, or a Judas (decorated devil). Behind each of these sculptures there is a story and meaning of motion, a connection with nature, in the tradition of colorful Mexican folk art. I want to touch your heart through my art, making you feel like we are connected.” – Gabriela Marván
Do you want to learn more about my work?
Please send us an email.