Tucked away in San Antonio’s Southtown is an unassuming building that houses the creative minds of Manola and Maria, a local sister artist duo who specialize in murals, screen printing, illustrations, and installations.
Within the studio, art covers every wall, featuring notable San Antonio artists, as well as elements from their previous installations and design work. It’s a sandbox for creativity, and if the interior decor didn’t give it away, then their paint-splattered aprons will surely be an indicator.
Leading up to Pearl’s Viva Dieciséis event, we caught up with Manola and Maria to talk family, their favorite art pieces at Pearl, and the meaning behind their latest design.
Mi Cultura Hermosa
Pearl commissioned a new design for its upcoming Viva Dieciséis event, which honors and celebrates Mexico’s independence from Spain. Drawing inspiration from the Mexican flag, the sisters created a piece that embodies their cultural heritage.
“The Mexican flag is a symbol of pride and a reminder of where we came from.”
The design features elements like the golden eagle, nopales, and marigolds. “The marigold ties in with the Day of the Dead as well as the theme of honoring our ancestors. We wanted to make sure that everything was represented authentically in the Dieciséis design.”
The 27-acre art walk
Throughout the seasons on Pearl’s campus, you’ll find rotating displays of art in the form of murals, alebrije statues, ceramic tile depictions, freehand illustrations on windows, and even life-sized cow statues.
For artists, getting the chance to display their artwork to others is a source of pride, and for Manola and Maria, this magic isn’t lost on them.
“I think it’s always an awesome opportunity to have our artwork displayed at Pearl. It gives us the eyes that you don’t usually get at the studio or a gallery event. Pearl has a lot of public events and is a cool way for us to showcase our art and how we’re inspired by our culture,” Manola explains.
Maria adds, “with Pearl being Pearl, the concern we’ve heard from others is that “Oh, what do they know about raza? What do they know about culture?” and it’s like “No, the thing that I’ve come to appreciate is that they come to artists who know how to represent their culture authentically.”
Can’t pick favorites, but…
Over on a decorated pillar inside their studio, hangs two shining pink and purple hued hearts. It’s the remaining elements of Pearl’s 2021 AMOR mural, created by MM Creative in collaboration with Manola and Maria and Larry Servin.
While it isn’t couth to pick favorites, this one would make the sisters’ top three list.
“The first version of the AMOR wall happened in February 2021 when it snowed, and a couple of years later, we had the opportunity to bring it back. When we found out that Pearl wanted to bring the wall back to display, we were like, “Oh my god, yes!”
Since the piece had been in storage, it required a family affair to give it new life.
“We had all of our tías and family to help with restoring the art piece. Bringing our family into our process was a very sentimental moment. Once the AMOR wall was installed and the whole family was there, we felt like it wasn’t just a Manola and Maria thing, but a ‘we’ thing,” says Manola.
Día de los Muertos
Moving across the studio to a sculpture that resembles wood, featuring the face of an angel and flowers, perched upon shelves of plants, is Maria’s favorite project from Día de los Muertos at Pearl.
“It stands out because it was just us two at the time, and we kept adding elements to the design. I love this piece because we got to express ourselves freely and there weren’t many restrictions,” explains Maria.
Manola and Maria go on to say that the DIY process led to interesting interactions and requests, including visiting their neighboring woodshop to sift through various types of sawdust and filling up trash bags to take back to the studio.
“The entire altar was made from scratch,” says Manola.
From the sawdust came the calaveras, and from recycled cardboard came the top of the altar.
Once everything was completed, the family was invited back to help with its installation.
“We were really happy that we could showcase our work and share it with San Antonio. But also, to know that we had family who were willing to help us made it all the better.”
The Dynamic Duo
Maria continues, “I remember these two ladies coming up to us and asking, ‘Oh my gosh, what company are you with?” And I just look at her and I go, “What do you mean?”
“Like, who are you with?”
“It’s just me and my sister!”
