My name is Madyn Cierra Garretson, but I sign my works as Madyn Cierra. I am originally from San Fransisco and I currently live in Brooklyn. I am a third-year BFA student at Parsons School of Design with an Illustration major and a Creative Entrepreneurship minor. I primarily work in animation and illustration; I aspire to illustrate children’s books or have an animated series. I am interested in folk art and nostalgic aesthetics, these inspire my works. I am also inspired by my experiences on the West Coast and the East Coast, it allows me to fuse American subcultures in my references. I have a visual style that distinguishes me as an artist because of my color palettes and fantasy approach to imagery. I try to create work that is nostalgic, thought-provoking, and visually surprising.

A lot of my work is personally reflective. I had a tough childhood that made me who I am but made me need to leave home. I essentially ran away from home when I moved across the country. I am the first in my family to leave California and coming to New York City not knowing anyone was the bravest thing I have ever done. In my time away, I have gained a lot of perspectives and have grown a lot as a person. I realized the cultural bubble I was in growing up in the Bay Area. I also realized, after multiple long-term relationships with men, that I am a lesbian. Coming out and being openly gay has led to a lot of hardships, but alas, life is full of hardships. I use my art process to heal and reflect. The more I create, the more I am free. Earlier this year, I spent seven weeks creating puppets, sets, and props for a stop motion called “To Be Together”. The idea was to express a lesbian narrative as if it were a children’s show, or appropriate for children at the least.

Last year, in May 2020, I animated a video about motherhood and grief. I wanted to make something emotional, I was hoping animation could evoke what I couldn’t do in my children’s books and zines. I found a new passion for it once I saw what I had created. I started to freelance as an animator and have been doing music videos for indie musicians. “For Her” was the project that turned my practice around and I will always be proud of it.