Artist Statement

My name is Maria Andrea Luna and I am not an artist.

At least not yet.

I am however a student. A pretty bad one. As a child I developed an above average memory which I relied on throughout my school career which resulted in poor habits and a vicious cycle of procrastination and self hate.

I am also a writer. A decent one. I grew up in a household with six kids and as the youngest I had trouble communicating verbally which forced me to start writing at an early age.

I am a sister. One time my older sister said to me that no matter how old I get she will always see me as an 11 year old girl. I don't disagree with her. I spend a lot of time thinking about the idea of growing up and growling old. I feel like I'm in a perpetual period of awkward adolescence. As a result I love coming of age films, I imagine myself being 60 years old and still looking for my identity. 

I am an immigrant. When I was 11 years old, my mom moved me and my sister from Manila, Philippines to Queens, New York. I like to tell people I was reborn in New York. This move resulted in a unique perspective where as of now, I can cut my life in half. I feel like this is the root cause of an endless search for meaning. Sometimes it seems as though part of my being is still stuck on that airplane seat, eternally traveling back and forth, searching for the other half.

I am a lot of things. But I'm not an artist.

At least not yet.