Madre Tierra – exhibit by Issis Macias

Submitted by Janet Neurauter (she/her),
Mission Advancement Consultant

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Issis, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, was taught that education was the path to a secure future. “My parents instilled the values of hard work, building a stable career and being self-sufficient,” she said. As a result, Issis attended UCLA, majoring in Political Science before earning a Master’s in Public Administration. She worked as a water resources manager for a municipal utility in Anaheim, California, where she upheld the belief that water is life and conservation is critical to sustaining communities.

During a period of personal transition in 2012, Issis began exploring the art scene in downtown Los Angeles. “I was like a sponge, taking it all in. It was my first time creating art as an adult, and it became a form of meditation and play. At the time, I never imagined it would become my full-time profession.”

In 2016, Issis’s fiancé was offered a faculty position at UW–Madison, and they relocated to Wisconsin. “I fell in love with the lakes and the way nature feels so present here. The pace was much slower than Los Angeles, and that shift created a kind of space I didn’t even realize I needed.”

After moving, Issis continued her exploration of intuitive abstraction and works primarily with acrylics and oil pastels. “I had been so cerebral in the past. Abstract art is really about freedom and expression in color and texture. It is completely emotive and cathartic.” Over time, her practice deepened. In 2020, as she entered motherhood during the pandemic, art moved to the center of her life, expanding into a space of reflection, healing and transformation.

In her current exhibit, Madre Tierra, Issis honors her connection to the natural world and her Mexican heritage. “In my culture, Madre Tierra is a living presence who supports, heals and guides. This exhibit celebrates all Mother Earth gives to us and reminds us that we can always find refuge in her.” As a mother herself, Issis finds inspiration in her daughter, mother and grandmothers. “Through the artistic expression of my own heritage and matrilineal lineage, I hope viewers find a place to pause, reconnect and remember that we belong to something larger and timeless.”

Issis was named the 2025 Latina Artist of the Year and received the 2024 Micaela Salinas Artist Fellowship sponsored by Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development. She was also a 2023-2025 Bridge Work artist at Arts + Literature Laboratory, a 2023 Forward Art Prize finalist through the Women Artists Forward Fund and is an active member of the Madison Art Guild. Her work is held in private collections in the United States, Mexico and Europe.

The exhibit is on display in the Gathering Area of the monastery from May 6-July 7, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00-11:00 am.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, May 29th from 6:00-8:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is appreciated.