Izzy Poquiz

Pieces

Videos

"what these hands made" I owe a lot to my parents for what they did to help get me where I am today. Their experience as immigrants and how hard they work to support my brother and me has been a shaping force in terms of my own ambitions and definitions of success. If I'm being honest, the weight of their influence has also been a source of pressure to make the most of the opportunities and privileges they’ve afforded me. In response to stress, we breathe faster to quickly distribute blood to our bodies. This piece represents the sense of panic and loss of focus I’ve at times felt from the weight of my family’s sacrifices.

"self portrait" To me, respiration is inherently associated with bringing life, energy, and growth. This self portrait represents the dynamic and often undefinable nature of identity and perception of self, specifically in a time in my life when I’m constantly impacted by change.

About

Izzy Poquiz is a visual artist and designer from Alma, Mich.,  who works primarily with drawing, painting and digital mediums. She is an alum of the University of Michigan, where she studied industrial and operations engineering through the College of Engineering, and minored in art and design through the School of Art & Design. She’s currently based out of Boston, Mass., where she works as a product manager. If you’d like to see and hear more of Izzy’s art and artistry, follow her on Instagram @izzypoquiz.

Artist's Statement

I'm a Filipina American visual artist and designer who enjoys experimenting with new techniques and mediums. I started out with drawing and painting, and recently I’ve started exploring digital art and editing techniques, too. My favorite topics to touch on in my work are identity and upbringing — pretty classic for a child of immigrants, I know. My family has never been that good at expressing ourselves using words, so being able to communicate these heavy topics through an alternative medium is a liberating feeling.   "what these hands made"   I owe a lot to my parents for what they did to help get me where I am today. Their experience as immigrants and how hard they work to support me and my brother has been a shaping force in terms of my own ambitions and definitions of success. If I'm being honest, the weight of their influence has also been a source of pressure to make the most of the opportunities and privileges they’ve afforded me. In response to stress, we breathe faster to quickly distribute blood to our bodies. This piece represents the sense of panic and loss of focus I’ve at times felt from the weight of my family’s sacrifices.     "self portrait"   To me, respiration is inherently associated with bringing life, energy and growth. This self portrait represents the dynamic and often undefinable nature of identity and perception of self, specifically in a time in my life when I’m constantly impacted by change.