ARTIST
STATEMENT
RANDI MARKOWITZ
BENEATH THE SURFACE
I create layered mixed media pieces that invite viewers to look closer—because what reveals itself slowly often holds the deepest meaning.
Using torn paper, warm color, texture, and abstract forms drawn from nature, I build surfaces that echo the complexity of everyday life—beauty layered with memory, light emerging from beneath the surface.
Words live within these layers as well. Some are visible; others remain hidden, like quiet whispers waiting to be discovered. I believe both words and color carry energy. Through my work, I hope to place small moments of hope into the world—pieces that spark reflection, uplift the spirit, and remind us that beauty often reveals itself one layer at a time.
MEET RANDI
When did art first enter your life?
I’ve always been creative. In fourth grade, I made illustrated covers for my book reports. I still have them—Harriet the Spy and other things I loved to draw.
That’s probably my earliest memory of being creative and expressing myself through art.
In junior high and high school, I spent a lot of time in the art department and was part of the art club. It was something I naturally gravitated toward. Eventually, I went on to study graphic design.
You've been a very successful graphic designer. How did you become a mixed media artist?
Becoming a mixed media artist actually happened by accident. I had been interested in abstract art, mixed media, and art journaling for a while. At one point, I even purchased an online class with French artist Laly Mille—but I never took it.
Then COVID hit, and suddenly we all had extra time at home. A friend of mine had a birthday coming up, so I finally started the class and created a collage for her as a gift. She loved it, but more importantly, I discovered how meditative and calming the process was for me.
I quickly became obsessed. I had some old acrylic paints lying around, and I started experimenting—using beautiful papers, acrylics, mixed media materials, and different types of ephemera. I incorporate butterfly stickers, leaves, and other found elements, building the work in layers. Flowers and circles appear often in my paintings, and butterflies are a recurring motif because they symbolize transformation.
What about your art delights your collectors?
I infuse my work with positivity. There is so much negativity in the world, and I want my paintings to offer something uplifting. I often begin by writing positive affirmations on the first layer—words that are never actually seen. I believe everything carries energy, and my hope is that when someone looks at my work, they feel a sense of happiness.
The feeling you get when looking through old family photos—that warmth and nostalgia—is the same feeling I hope people experience when they bring my art into their homes.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies represent the transformation I experienced after divorce, breast cancer, and the challenges of raising my daughter alone.
They reflect the journey of becoming your true self—and I believe that’s possible for everyone.
The butterfly is a symbol of change, growth, and positivity. The circles in my work represent completion. My birthday is on the eighth, so I often incorporate shapes that echo the number eight, using
eights and infinity symbols.
While symbolism appears throughout my work, it leans toward subtle, hidden nuance rather than obvious representation.