May Artist of the Month: A Q&A with Mabelin Castellanos

"As usual I quilt everyday scenes of people going about their life."

- Mabelin Castellanos

Mabelin Castellanos. In Winter, 2025. Quilted thread painting; cotton and rayon thread on muslin. 30 × 42 inches.
 

The CAMP Gallery is excited to relaunch our “Artist of the Month” series, where we spotlight new work from artists on our roster. For the month of May, we are proud to feature artist Mabelin Castellanos.

Born in Cuba and Based in Miami, Mabelin Castellanos creates delicate fiber paintings that are representative of her personal reflection and observations of the world around her. As a self-taught artist who discovered art later in her life, Mabela's artworks are attentive to the texture of the material she uses.

Her practice is marked by self-reflection, pleasant observations, and a tender reconstructing of identity and paths to personal development through moments of strife and rebirth. Mabela's body of work can be interpreted as a series of textile snapshots, subverting the nature of textile work by treating her sewing machine as an instrument for photography, while honoring the fleeting beauty in moments most would describe as trivial.
 

Through her minimalist approach to fiber, Mabelin captures the essence of a fleeting moment and the beauty of a memory passing her by. Currently she draws inspiration from the highly populated and vibrant atmosphere of Miami Beach. The main protagonists of the "stories" she stitches together are faceless figures, allowing the viewer to see themselves reflected within the ambiance Castellanos focuses on capturing. 

Join is in this Q&A as Mabelin opens up about what is currently impacting her practice, her minimalist nature and what we can expect from her next.

 

Mabelin castellanos. Untitled, 2025.Cotton and rayon thread on muslin. 12 × 16 × 1 inches.

What is impacting your practice at the moment?

Mabelin Castellanos: Nothing different is impacting my work now. As usual I quilt everyday scenes of people going about their life.

What work are you most excited to make next?

MC: I am excited about starting new Beach scenes, since it is warmer, and the beaches get full of Characters.

What first comes to mind when you think of the month of May? Do you have a personal connection with it?

MC: May is Mother’s Day, the birthday of my youngest son and my Mum’s birthday.

Mabelin castellanos. Untitled, 2025.Cotton and rayon thread on muslin. 12 × 16 × 1 inches.

Even though your work is full of personality, it still leans minimalist. Can you elaborate on that? Is there a reason that you don't give your figures a face?

MC: The figures I represent are mostly faceless because I don’t want to individualize them, preferring to emphasize the ambience of the “story” I stitched.  I prefer the viewer to reflect himself on the work and make their own interpretation of it.
 

I am a minimalist, in general, in my lifestyle and tastes - I have never used makeup or high heels so it’s logical that my artwork reflects that. I consider my work to be minimalist and figurative. I also see myself as an outsider artist since I am self-taught and found art late in life.

Are there any emotions you avoid portraying in your work?

MC: I intentionally avoid emotions as my mental state is fragile and makes me extra sensitive.