Meet the visual artist behind Marissa Schiesser, Creative Arts
As a professional working artist in Vancouver, British Columbia, Marissa’s mixed media collage pieces invite you to explore the depths of our everyday existence with modern technology and the natural world.
Her original paintings, collage art, and archival prints embody a present moment, a story, and what you’ll quickly notice as a joyful sense of curiosity.
Each piece holds a grounding, contemplative element for Marissa. As seen in her latest body of collage work, she skillfully curates with each cut of paper, found analog selections and an exploration of bright, whimsical colours. Her palette is shaped by bold and colourful florals mingled with soft tones of mountains and oceans. If she had to choose only one word to describe her art practice as a whole, ‘flow’ would resonate at the top of a long list.
“Art is more than filling a space on a wall. It is about providing moments to get lost in imagination.” Marissa believes that art has the potential to create a new story for each person and can bridge a connection between the viewer and their own creativity.
Inspiration & Process
"When creating collage art, I intricately cut out fine details to highlight images, textures and colours, shaping them into new stories. I appreciate the search for images, repetition of marks, scissoring motions and following lines seen and unseen as a type of meditation."
Marissa's work is influenced by the female artists of the past who carved their own paths in the male-dominated world of abstract art. These women painted fearlessly and dared to call themselves artists. She holds a fashion design diploma specializing in textile arts, surface design, and weaving.
Land & Sustainability
Marissa's grandmother’s stewardship of the Columbia Valley Wetlands influences her to think about the materials she uses. Her practice increasingly considers the sustainability of the source, processing, and disposal of art materials.
Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceeded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations who have stewarded and continue to steward their land. Committed to actively seek out opportunities to listen, learn, and take action.
