Artist Statement - Abagail T. Serrano, 2025
In each piece, I try to capture the feeling of the light-hearted aspects of life, even when the visuals seem unfamiliar. They are snippets of larger, untold stories, designed to stimulate the imagination and invite viewers into a realm of whimsy and human desire through simplistic cartoon characters and their stories.
Characters are the heart of my work. Each has their own unique storylines that exist vividly in my mind. The goal of my work is to share these stories through illustrations. My main preference is Visual narratives without written words; images that speak through expression, color, and composition. The characters I make and the areas they live in are bright, colorful and soft. These pieces strive to explore innately human feelings through silly images.
A significant part of my artistic process involves considering how others perceive these characters and narratives. This collaborative element sparks exploration not only in the conceptual phase but also in the physical creation of the artwork. When creating my work I gravitate towards digital software so I can be very picky with the smoothness of my finishes and careful linework. This does not negate my physical connection to the work. Maintaining the physicality of my work through making my thumbnails and initial sketches in a sketchbook and printing my work out when I have resolved the image is key to the connection I want and want others to have with my work. Through this, I can ensure that there is a tangible link between creator and creation.
As I continue my artistic journey, I want to create narratives that are able to teach and inspire creativity in others as I have been taught and inspired. My art is an invitation for viewers to find delight in the fantastical and discover their own stories within my creations.
Bio
Abagail T. Serrano is a Jersey City-based Illustrator and Graphic Designer. Born in Oyster Bay, New York she moved around many times before landing in New Jersey but her love for art remained constant. Encouraged by a creative family and a stream of supportive teachers she pursued artwork through the Jersey City Arts Program in high school where she was chosen to have a piece in the Jersey City Public School District’s Permanent Collection, and is working towards a BFA in Illustration at NJCU. Cartoons and internet artists inspired her to make her works blend traditional and digital methods, starting with a pencil and paper. The colorful cartoon-like illustrations she produces are intended to be printed and seen physically preserving a tangible connection to the viewer.
This is GREAT!!! Awesome job!
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