Artist We Love: Madeline Vega

How do you define an artist? Webster’s dictionary defines it as “a person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby.” I find that definition limiting and lacking. An artist is so much more than that.

A good artist can transport you with their work all the while crafting a story that you feel like you are a part of. All I’ve ever wanted to be was an artist. Here at ADW we’ve covered Artists We Love for a long time now. This issue’s Artist We Love is very personal to me and my absolute favorite artist, Madeline Vega.

Whether it’s through the lens of a camera, the tip of a paint brush, or from her Wacom pen, Madeline creates immersive pieces of art. She creates pieces that generate a reaction while telling the story of the subject. In an era where everyone fashions themselves a photographer because they can take stylized picture with their phone, rare is the person who makes a connection with their subject and in turn can make you feel the same connection.

Madeline achieves this. I’ve often told Madeline that she goes beyond simply taking a picture to find the emotional core of a subject. In a career that has spanned more than a quarter century, I’ve rarely if ever met a photographer that can not only take a good picture but also find and connect with the subject in a way that she does. It is a rare and unique talent. Madeline has a chameleonic ability to adapt her art to fit whatever the situation calls for. Her economy of lines is something that as an artist I constantly am in awe of. Her use of color is soft and delicate and rarely over powering. She is as complete an artist I’ve ever been around... in multiple mediums, which is unbelievable.

The eyes are often said to be the windows to the soul. It’s the first thing I look at in any piece of art, be it a photograph, illustration, or painting. When you look at a piece of Madeline’s, you see a deep soulful connection. One that is mesmerizing, transformative, rare, and inspirational. Madeline Vega... an artist I love.