Erika Florizel Narhi-Martinez, who works professionally under the name Florizel, is an American painter, muralist and art curator who grew up in the American Midwest. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Iowa, and during her time there focused her studies on printmaking. This gave her a deep understanding of ink, layering and physical textures, which has influenced the bold lines and strong shapes seen in her current work.

To expand her technical skills, she moved to Florence in Italy to study at Studio Arts College International, known for its emphasis on traditional European art practices. There she gained a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, specialising in art conservation. Her printmaking background gives her the freedom to create original, imaginative art, while her conservation background gives her the precise eye and material knowledge needed to manage and preserve art projects as a professional curator.

Florizel’s artistic style blends this classical background with modern, deeply personal, and multicultural themes inspired by her time living in the United States, Italy, Germany, and Central America. Her best-known ongoing project is a visual collection called Amorous Bodies, which focuses on body liberation and physical connection.

Beyond creating art for private clients and galleries, Florizel is passionate about making art accessible to the public and supporting the wider creative community. She has participated in international art residencies, notably collaborating with local and international creatives in El Salvador to paint public murals, including a well-known community piece in the coastal town of El Palmarcito. As a curator she brings global creators together by organising group exhibitions, such as the international juried exhibition Touch hosted by the People & Paintings gallery platform.

Currently living and working in Berlin, Germany, she continues to showcase her projects globally while managing her digital portfolio through her website.

Erika Florizel Narhi-Martinez’s website can be found here.

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