MJ Lindo-Lawyer
Location: 30 Pearl / Boulder Housing Partners (Boulder Junction)
Photo by Peter Kowalchuk
Portraits have interested MJ Lindo-Lawyer since she was a young girl. She was initially interested in drawing and painting characters from movies and TV shows, such as Disney princesses and Sailor Moon. As she grew up and developed as an artist, she wanted to focus on emotion and storytelling through portraiture. MJ often focuses on painting portraits of women as well as the female figure. Her artworks reflect her life and emotional state at the time, making each work a self-portrait in some way. Inspired by her Nicaraguan ancestry, MJ incorporates bright, rich colors as well as nature, furry friends, and whimsical elements into her work to create dark, fantastical worlds for her subjects to inhabit. The artist seeks to invite exploration, imagination, and emotion with her paintings and murals.
MJ’s mural for Street Wise has a darker inspiration. Her home state of California has been experiencing more frequent and intense wildfires. These fires turn the sun red, giving MJ a feeling of being on edge while looking at the ominous red sun. Shades of red reflect off the hair, skin, and body of the woman in the mural as she peers over her shoulder toward the sky. Her large, round Afro tinged with reds and oranges even gives the impression of the red fire-soaked sun. She wraps her arms around her shoulders as if protecting herself from the threat of destruction. However, the woman wears an expression of hope with gleaming eyes and a slight smile on her lips.
Initially, MJ began her career painting canvases with acrylics and oil paints, but she has been creating murals for about three years. She loved the idea of leaving her mark behind wherever she traveled. MJ often collaborates on murals with her husband and fellow artist Joshua Lawyer. They assist each other with bringing their respective mural designs to life. MJ has also created murals for Wide Open Walls in Sacramento as well as for communities and organizations throughout the Bay Area.
Artist Statement
I am a self-taught, self-motivated, self-inspired creator of whimsical alternative universes and artistic architect of beautifully dark, fantastical worlds. I am a lover of rich skin tones, creamy pastels, and an inoperable sense of whimsy. I am a human being with a lust for life and a vibrant mind that is endlessly searching for truth and release by touching oil paint to wooden canvas. Since 2003, I have been telling visual stories of my life, the experiences of other women, and the daily existence of multi-cultural women in this world. Alongside furry friends and innocent animal energies that we share this world with, these paintings evoke emotion, imagination, and celebration – while always challenging the viewer to explore deeper. Living in the Bay Area with my husband, a kitten named Garbage, and a 160-lb. Neapolitan Mastiff named Mellow, I spend my moments blissfully soaking in the wonders of this world while creating art inspired by it. As a multi-cultural household, with me being Nicaraguan American and my husband Polynesian, we understand the tremendous importance and value of embracing ethnic representation and seeking cultural inclusion. We have experienced agricultural communities, lived in poverty and 3rd world countries. This has added a wealth of experience.
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