Arielle Tesoriero (b. 1997) is a painter and sculptor from the rural Eastern Shore of Maryland. She currently lives and works in New York City and holds an MFA from the New York Academy of Art. In 2022, Tesoriero was awarded the Kylemore Abbey Artist Residency through the New York Academy of Art and was also selected as a finalist for the New American Paintings Emerging Artist Grant. Her work has been featured in New American Paintings and The Untitled Magazine, among others. Tesoriero's work has been exhibited across the east coast of America and internationally.

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Artist Statement

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My work represents my struggles with having a female body and how I am perceived in the world. I illustrate expectations that have been placed upon me from growing up in a conservative environment full of shame, anger, and violence. I have always battled with the significance of seeing and being seen as a woman. Because of this, I'm interested in confronting my experiences of girlhood into womanhood and the correlation between sexuality, consumption, and power.

I find comfort in creating an imaginary world aesthetically derived from my childhood imagery, as it allows me to tell a complex history of trauma in a way that is approachable. Reoccurring emblems such as animals, foods, and weapons represent symbols of girlhood like freedom, naivety, and truth. The element of repetition is significant because my work is self-referencing and tells a chronological story, much like growing older. Through the facade of my bright and sugary tableaus, I confront my struggles with my body in a fantastically disturbing circus.

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Interview with Arielle Tesoriero

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Who and/or what were your influences when you were first starting out vs. now?

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I used to be obsessed with Jen Mann in high school, who I first saw in an issue of Create! Magazine. I love her use of color and scale. She had released some films in 2019 that intertwined with her paintings, and the idea of someone’s work being all interconnected and self-referencing blew my mind. She made me question things about my identity I had never considered, like what it means to be a woman in society.

Now that I have been a part of the NYC art scene for five years, I am influenced by my friends and colleagues. I graduated from the New York Academy of Art in 2022, and now I work there. I often reflect on the work of my alumni community, such as Naudline Pierre, Anastasiya Tarasenko, Cajsa von Zeipel, and Robin F. Williams, Natalie Terenzini, and many more artists.

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What is your favorite thing about the materials you use?

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I love oil on linen because it’s like painting on a cloud. In terms of sculpture, I can’t live without Magic Sculpt. I also gravitate toward silicone because it’s non-toxic and transparent. I love mixing mica powder, layering colors, and touching the silicone when it’s dry.

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I’ve learned material exploration is vital to my progression as an artist, so I try to introduce new materials every time I start a piece. Whether that’s painting on linen, panel, plaster, plastic, or plain canvas, with acrylic, oil, or both. This exploration and experimentation are important in my practice because it allows me to investigate my emotions without the pressure of a perfect end product.

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What would you say is hidden just underneath the surface of your work? Meaning, what are you revealing to your viewers?

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Anger. Paranoia. Hunger. Objectification. Consumerism. Nostalgia.

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Can you tell us about a turning point in your practice? Was there a moment when things started clicking?

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My work changed completely during my first semester of grad school. I went from painting photo-derived portraiture of my friends gobbling down food to drawing therianthropic gals from my imagination. By the end of the year, I was also experimenting with sculpture, something I had never thought about before.

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During this time, I realized I find comfort in creating a world derived from my childhood imagery, as this allows me to explore difficult topics dealing with women’s bodies. Ironically, going to a school that cares so much about the Old Masters catapulted me in the opposite direction.

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In honor of our women’s issue, who are three women and/or gender nonconforming artists that inspire you?

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Anastasiya Tarasenko, Cajsa von Zeipel, and Robin F. Williams.

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