Biography

My name is Alycia and I am a 26 year old painter, muralist, and oracle reader based in Long Beach, CA. 

Born in Colorado Springs, CO and raised in Manteca, CA from 3 months old, I have always had a passion for painting and drawing. As a child, I began drawing at a very young age and started drawing my favorite cartoon characters on any paper I could find. Once I began high school, I tried to keep up with my peers by taking multiple science and math classes even though I struggled tremendously in them. I was programmed to believe that going down a STEM path was the only way to have a successful life. Going in to my junior year of high school, I was placed in an Intro to Art class. This class was my 5th choice for an elective and I had no intention of actually trying very hard, but it was in this classroom that I would rediscover my passion for art. As soon as I started working on the first project, I immediately fell in love with drawing all over again. My art class was the only place where I felt comfortable to share my ideas and could create anything I wanted. Going in to my senior year, I was placed in an advanced art class and would constantly carry around my sketchbook and new pieces that I was working on. When my teacher submitted my work for the school district art show, I won second place in all of the school district and it was in that moment I knew how important this was to me. 

After graduating high school in 2018, I followed my dream and moved to Fullerton, CA to attend California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). I began painting celebrity portraits during the pandemic and although I was making quick money with commissions, I didn't feel fulfilled and felt that the artwork never truly represented me. I was struggling to find my artistic style and I no longer created art for myself. I quickly started to resent my artwork and lost my sense of identity. It wasn't until my last year of school that I realized my own thoughts and experiences were meant to be shown through my art. Throughout my time at CSUF, I learned who I was as a person and as an artist. In 2023, I graduated from CSUF with a Bachelor of fine arts degree. 

On top of pursuing my visual art career, I am currently working as the graphic designer for the Brett Fonfa Foundation (BFF). The BFF gives underrepresented visual artists in the Los Angeles area opportunities to exhibit their artwork and provides resources to artists and students.

Using vibrant colors, botanicals, and human anatomy, my artwork depicts the literal connection between nature and humanity. Humans were always meant to coexist with the environment. Instead, we overuse resources, destroy ecosystems, and displace wildlife. My artwork is meant to remind people of our connection with the environment and how we have always been one and the same. The use of hands in my work symbolize the action and determination it will take to restore our ecosystems. I show various skin tones in my paintings so people will see a bit of themselves represented in my work, inspiring those to think about how they can protect our planet.