"Passport Portrait, Self Portrait" Digital, 2014
Artist Statement – Snow Mack
My art practice is rooted in the vivid narratives that emerge from dreams, visions, and the subconscious. These surreal images become the inspiration for my figurative works, which I develop through sketches and transform into paintings across various surfaces and mediums. I draw from a vibrant color palette— directly influenced by the intense hues and emotional tone of my dreamscapes.
Much of my work aligns with the Pop Surrealism movement, integrating recurring themes such as goddesses, mythology, spirituality, symbolism, meditation, pop culture, and science fiction. These elements serve as a visual language through which I explore both inner worlds and collective imagination.
I painted my first dream-inspired surreal work in 1974. Encouraged by my art teacher, Mrs. Hall—whose mentorship deeply shaped my creative foundation—I began a lifelong exploration of diverse styles and mediums. Today, my practice includes painting, assemblage, portraiture, and photography, each informed by the same instinctive and symbolic approach that first drew me to art.
Through my work, I seek to make the intangible visible—inviting viewers into a space where the mystical, the mythical, and the modern collide.
My art practice is rooted in the vivid narratives that emerge from dreams, visions, and the subconscious. These surreal images become the inspiration for my figurative works, which I develop through sketches and transform into paintings across various surfaces and mediums. I draw from a vibrant color palette— directly influenced by the intense hues and emotional tone of my dreamscapes.
Much of my work aligns with the Pop Surrealism movement, integrating recurring themes such as goddesses, mythology, spirituality, symbolism, meditation, pop culture, and science fiction. These elements serve as a visual language through which I explore both inner worlds and collective imagination.
I painted my first dream-inspired surreal work in 1974. Encouraged by my art teacher, Mrs. Hall—whose mentorship deeply shaped my creative foundation—I began a lifelong exploration of diverse styles and mediums. Today, my practice includes painting, assemblage, portraiture, and photography, each informed by the same instinctive and symbolic approach that first drew me to art.
Through my work, I seek to make the intangible visible—inviting viewers into a space where the mystical, the mythical, and the modern collide.
"Man With Vision" by Snow Mack
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Acrylic on Canvas approximately 20" x 16", 1974
Frameworks – Assemblage as a Portal
I began creating my own frames in 1992 as an experiment—an extension of my art practice that evolved into something more intentional and symbolic. I was interested in making frames that offered more than a boundary; I wanted them to appear ornate at first glance, only to reveal, upon closer inspection, that they were constructed from toys and discarded objects. These frames became a playful illusion, blurring the line between the precious and the overlooked.
This process opened a new avenue of expression through assemblage. It began with a toy drawer—where I collected broken, forgotten, or outgrown toys once loved by my children. From there, the practice grew. I began experimenting with fake fur, faux pearls, costume jewelry, bottle caps, scrap wood, and other cast-offs. Over time, friends and community members began donating their own discarded treasures, contributing to my ever-growing collection.
In transforming these everyday objects into something surreal, the frames become more than supports—they become extensions of the paintings themselves. Each one is a whimsical echo of childhood imagination, mysterious journeys, and the dreamlike states that inspire my work.
I began creating my own frames in 1992 as an experiment—an extension of my art practice that evolved into something more intentional and symbolic. I was interested in making frames that offered more than a boundary; I wanted them to appear ornate at first glance, only to reveal, upon closer inspection, that they were constructed from toys and discarded objects. These frames became a playful illusion, blurring the line between the precious and the overlooked.
This process opened a new avenue of expression through assemblage. It began with a toy drawer—where I collected broken, forgotten, or outgrown toys once loved by my children. From there, the practice grew. I began experimenting with fake fur, faux pearls, costume jewelry, bottle caps, scrap wood, and other cast-offs. Over time, friends and community members began donating their own discarded treasures, contributing to my ever-growing collection.
In transforming these everyday objects into something surreal, the frames become more than supports—they become extensions of the paintings themselves. Each one is a whimsical echo of childhood imagination, mysterious journeys, and the dreamlike states that inspire my work.
Frame Detail, "Little Rita Lynn"
About Snow Mack
Snow Mack (born Martha Snow in Tokyo, Japan) is a contemporary visual artist known for her vibrant, dream-inspired paintings and symbolic assemblage frames. Her work blends pop culture, mythology, and surreal imagery to explore the subconscious, resulting in visually rich narratives that are both personal and archetypal.After earning a BFA from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, she began exhibiting in the late 1980s at influential Los Angeles venues, including La Luz de Jesus Gallery. Her inclusion in The Little Gallery That Could—a 25th anniversary exhibition and book—recognized her early contributions to the Lowbrow and Pop Surrealist movements.
Her reach extends beyond Southern California. In 2014, she was featured in ¡Orale! Kings and Queens of Cool at the Harwood Museum in Taos, New Mexico, a major exhibition of Post-Pop art. She has continued to show in New Mexico at venues such as Keep Contemporary in Santa Fe.
In 2020, Mack contributed to Prayers for the Pandemic, a virtual exhibit curated by Drawing Rooms in Jersey City, NJ, and her protest sign series supporting Black Lives Matter was acquired by the Autry Museum in Los Angeles as part of their Collecting Community History Initiative.
In 2025, her work is featured in several high-profile group exhibitions, including Echoes of Sunshine at Garel Fine Art Gallery, The Big Show at Lucky Cat Labs, Luck of the Draw at La Luz de Jesus, and Cannibal Flower x Gabba Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. Internationally, she participated in the Ultra Hive CD Cover Art Show at Nano Gallery in Osaka and Design Festa Gallery in Harajuku, Tokyo.
Snow Mack lives and works in Los Angeles, where she continues to develop a body of work that merges vivid imagination, cultural commentary, and a deep symbolic vision.
Snow Mack (born Martha Snow in Tokyo, Japan) is a contemporary visual artist known for her vibrant, dream-inspired paintings and symbolic assemblage frames. Her work blends pop culture, mythology, and surreal imagery to explore the subconscious, resulting in visually rich narratives that are both personal and archetypal.After earning a BFA from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, she began exhibiting in the late 1980s at influential Los Angeles venues, including La Luz de Jesus Gallery. Her inclusion in The Little Gallery That Could—a 25th anniversary exhibition and book—recognized her early contributions to the Lowbrow and Pop Surrealist movements.
Her reach extends beyond Southern California. In 2014, she was featured in ¡Orale! Kings and Queens of Cool at the Harwood Museum in Taos, New Mexico, a major exhibition of Post-Pop art. She has continued to show in New Mexico at venues such as Keep Contemporary in Santa Fe.
In 2020, Mack contributed to Prayers for the Pandemic, a virtual exhibit curated by Drawing Rooms in Jersey City, NJ, and her protest sign series supporting Black Lives Matter was acquired by the Autry Museum in Los Angeles as part of their Collecting Community History Initiative.
In 2025, her work is featured in several high-profile group exhibitions, including Echoes of Sunshine at Garel Fine Art Gallery, The Big Show at Lucky Cat Labs, Luck of the Draw at La Luz de Jesus, and Cannibal Flower x Gabba Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. Internationally, she participated in the Ultra Hive CD Cover Art Show at Nano Gallery in Osaka and Design Festa Gallery in Harajuku, Tokyo.
Snow Mack lives and works in Los Angeles, where she continues to develop a body of work that merges vivid imagination, cultural commentary, and a deep symbolic vision.
Collection
Autry Museum's Collecting Community History Initiative: BLM Protests in the West 2020 - 4 Digital works
House of Blues: Boston
Autry Museum's Collecting Community History Initiative: BLM Protests in the West 2020 - 4 Digital works
House of Blues: Boston
Publications
Prayers for the Pandemic by Anne Trauben, Drawing Rooms, published by Victory Hall Press 2020
Mona Lisa Reimagined by Erik Maell published by Goff Books, an imprint of Oro Editions, 2015
¡ÓRALE! The Kings & Queens of Cool; Lowbrow Insurgence: The Rise of Post-Pop Art published by The Harwood Museum, 2014
La Luz de Jesus 25: The Little Gallery That Could published by La Luz de Jesus Press, 2011
Education
ArtCenter College Of Design, Pasadena (CA) BFA 1981
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore (MD) 1978
University of Maine, Orono (ME) 1977
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence (RI) summer 1976
Prayers for the Pandemic by Anne Trauben, Drawing Rooms, published by Victory Hall Press 2020
Mona Lisa Reimagined by Erik Maell published by Goff Books, an imprint of Oro Editions, 2015
¡ÓRALE! The Kings & Queens of Cool; Lowbrow Insurgence: The Rise of Post-Pop Art published by The Harwood Museum, 2014
La Luz de Jesus 25: The Little Gallery That Could published by La Luz de Jesus Press, 2011
Education
ArtCenter College Of Design, Pasadena (CA) BFA 1981
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore (MD) 1978
University of Maine, Orono (ME) 1977
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence (RI) summer 1976