025: Gillian Dueñas

Gillian Dueñas is a multifaceted visual artist who explores various mediums such as acrylic and gouache painting by incorporating elements of Chamoru culture. To her, art is an authentic reflection of self, offering a profound means of expression and connection. Rooted in vulnerability, art serves as a conduit for emotions, stories, and cultural identity.

Dueñas’ artistic journey began as a rediscovery during high school, culminating in a deep exploration of her Chamoru heritage and personal healing during college. Through her art, she navigates complex themes of identity, trauma, and empowerment, drawing inspiration from Chamoru oral traditions, aesthetics, and lived experiences.

Women and traditional motifs like cave drawings and pottery serve as recurring themes in Dueñas’ work, symbolizing matriarchy and honoring her Chamoru roots. Her signature includes incorporating shells or woven pieces into her canvases, adding a tactile dimension to her pieces.

Dueñas’ creative process involves meticulous planning, from sketching to underpainting, all while immersing herself in music, podcasts, or incense to enhance the emotional connection to her work. Despite technical proficiency, she battles imposter syndrome, emphasizing the importance of self-validation and sharing the imperfect journey of creation.

As an artist, Dueñas sees her role as a catalyst for change, using art as a tool for activism, documentation, and envisioning a decolonized future. She encourages aspiring artists to prioritize practice and intentionality, nurturing their creative journey with dedication and perseverance.

While her art resonates deeply with Chamoru and Micronesian communities, Dueñas’ inclusive approach extends to broader Indigenous and Pasifika audiences, fostering a sense of unity and empowerment. Ultimately, art is not just a profession but a profound form of healing and advocacy for her community and beyond.

To read Dueñas’ full interview, continue reading below. Also, check out her Instagram and her website, where you can support her work by purchasing prints. Thanks again!

Please introduce yourself and describe what you do.

My name is Gillian Dueñas and I am a visual artist. My primary medium is acrylic painting but I also like to paint with gouache, draw, crochet, sew, embroider, make jewelry, etc. I’m also currently learning how to tattoo. I like to try different media and incorporate aspects of Chamoru culture into everything I do.

How would you define art?

I think at its core, art is the most raw and vulnerable expression of ourselves. When I create and share my art, it is the most genuine representation of myself that I am able to convey. Art moves us, inspires us, challenges us, and communicates something to us.

Why did you choose your art form?

I feel that my art form chose me – as a kid I used to draw a lot, but once I got to middle school I stopped making art completely. I didn’t make art again or try acrylics until I took a drawing class my senior year of high school. My teacher had us do a painting project and I really liked the way it felt to put paint to canvas. After that project, I bought some painting supplies, practiced some more, and the rest is history.

How did your high school/college years affect the work you make today?

High school was my first introduction to painting, but I didn’t practice it seriously until I started college. During that time, I had gone through some difficult things, was struggling with my mental health, and was working through a lot of trauma. I was also trying to understand more of my identity as a Chamoru woman and what that meant to me. I grew up in Washington state and as a mixed person, I didn’t feel very connected to myself and felt like I wasn’t worthy of claiming my heritage. Exploring and learning more about Chamoru culture through painting really helped me work through these things and this continues to be a theme in my art practice over the years.

Who do you idolize?

I really admire so many of our artists and cultural practitioners. I think it is so important for us to sustain and protect our culture for the future generations, and there are so many people doing the important work of practicing our culture through art. Weavers, jewelry makers, healers, chanters, painters, etc. – I can’t name just one person that I look up to because there is so much talent and innovation in our community members!

Where do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by our oral histories, traditional aesthetics, and my/our lived experiences. For example, my most recent piece “TAI ULU” was inspired by the traditional practice of keeping a loved one’s skull in the home after they passed for protection. I also incorporated teeth etching which was a body modification that our ancestors practiced. I painted a woman in this piece because I like to center Chamoru womanhood and women empowerment.

What do you do when you're stuck on an artwork or lacking motivation or inspiration?

If I’m feeling stuck, one thing I like to do is switch to a different medium. If I’m having trouble with an acrylic piece, I might do a smaller piece using gouache to warm up my painting muscles. I also might work on a crochet project while I wait for inspiration to strike me. Another thing I like to do is research different Chamoru oral histories or traditional practices that were practiced before colonization.

What do you like incorporating most into your art?

I like to incorporate women and pottery/cave drawing motifs. I center women in my artwork to celebrate matriarchy and find pride and empowerment as an Indigenous Chamoru woman navigating a western, colonial, patriarchal space. I like to add cave drawings or pottery motifs to honor some of the original Chamoru artists, for without their practice and existence as artists I would not be here today to practice my own art.

What is something that you add to your art as your signature?

Going back to my previous answer, I would say women and motifs are something I use as a signature, or something that I try to keep consistent across my work. I also like to attach shells or small woven pieces to my canvases.

Take us through your process for making art.

Usually I start with a small sketch to figure out the composition. Then I project my sketch onto a canvas to trace it on as a guide. Next, I do an underpainting in a color that I think would complement the palette I plan to use. When I start the actual painting, I like to work from background to foreground. I like to listen to music or podcasts when I paint, and sometimes I will burn incense to relax and connect to the emotions I’m trying to portray.

What do you struggle with the most when making art?

I think I struggle most with imposter syndrome, or feeling like my art isn’t “good enough” or that people won’t receive it well. To combat this, I’ve been trying to share more of my process on social media before the “finished product” to show that the process isn’t always a pretty one and sometimes it’s okay to start over or re-do something. I also remind myself that first and foremost my art should be for me. Not everyone is going to connect with every piece I create and this doesn’t determine my worth as an artist.

What role do artists have in society?

Artists are changemakers. I believe that art is inherently political, and artists fill the role of inspiring change, documenting current events, challenging people to reflect, revealing truths, and envisioning a better future.

What characteristics do you think all artists share?

I think all artists see/perceive things in a unique way. I think as (visual) artists, when we look at something, we can break it down into different components and understand how shadows, colors, and shapes individually come together to create a picture.

What’s your favorite place in Guam?

My favorite place is probably Lasso Fouha. I always feel at peace and spiritually full when I go there. A close second is Maga’lahi Gadao’s cave!

How has your artwork evolved over time?

I think as I’ve grown more confident in my technical abilities and artistic skill, I am using different poses/perspectives in my work and diversifying my body types/skin colors/genders/etc. At the beginning of my practice, a lot of my work was centered in themes of healing and vulnerability. These are still themes I like to incorporate, but I also am leaning more into resistance against colonization.

Why did you choose to become an artist?

I think that everyone is an artist and has the capacity to create artwork. For me personally, art has been a medicine for me and is how I interact with the world. I use art as a tool to promote healing and seek justice for our community.

Is your art geared towards a specific audience?

My art is probably most relatable to Chamorus, but I like to create art that is geared towards the Micronesian community as well as the greater Pasifika community, and Indigenous communities around the world.

Do you have any tips for aspiring artists?

My biggest tip is PRACTICE! It takes a lot of time and dedication to improve, but improvement is very attainable! Create art as much as you can, and be very intentional about making time for it.

026: Irena Keckes

024: Tony Dela Cruz