{"title":"Bree Mercado","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg style=\"max-height: 300px; max-width:55%\" src=\"https:\/\/helloart-prod-bucket.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com\/media\/artist\/bree-mercado\/bree-mercado-profile.jpg\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBreanna Mercado is a BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artist based in the DMV. Her work explores identity, belonging, and healing, using abstraction to foster connection, visibility, and dialogue.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eARTIST’S STATEMENT\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy work centers the human experience—how identity, memory, and emotion live within the body. Through abstract forms and figurative portraiture, I explore what it means to exist in spaces of in-between: visibility and invisibility, softness and resilience, intimacy and distance.\r\u003cbr\u003eAs a queer artist, my work is informed by lived experience, community, and the desire to create art that feels both personal and collective. I’m less interested in answers and more interested in presence—what happens when we allow ourselves to feel, reflect, and be seen.\r\u003cbr\u003eWhether I’m painting a self-portrait, collaborating with someone on a story, or creating a piece rooted in abstraction, my intention remains the same: to offer work that feels honest, grounding, and open.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"kiss-me","title":"Kiss Me","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, charcoal, spray paint on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e48x36\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKiss Me is the catalyst for the Women \u0026amp; Agency collection. This piece centers on women reclaiming ownership over their bodies, desires, and autonomy in a world that has historically sought to control them. Whether in private spaces or public ones—bedrooms, billboards, or beyond—women’s bodies have long been shaped by external authority rather than self-determination.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eInspired by those who have resisted oppression and demanded agency, Kiss Me stands as an act of refusal and reclamation. It encourages viewers to confront narratives of control, to recognize inherent worth, and to honor personal desire as a form of power. In asserting agency over the body, this work affirms autonomy not as permission granted, but as a right inherently held.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800392925287,"sku":null,"price":2080.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779759827_65754.png?v=1779759854"},{"product_id":"am-i","title":"Am I?","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, spray paint, gold leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e30x48\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAm I? explores the quiet but relentless act of self-questioning that so many women carry. Even in moments of confidence, doubt can linger—asking not only who am I? but why am I here, and who am I allowed to become? This work exists in that suspended moment of reflection, where identity is not fixed but continually examined.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eReferencing the philosophical idea “I think, therefore I am,” this piece expands the question beyond existence into worth, morality, and self-definition. Am I good enough? Am I right? Am I too much—or not enough? These questions, though deeply personal, are nearly universal. They mark pivotal moments of becoming, shaping how we understand ourselves and the paths we choose forward.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eAm I? invites viewers to sit with uncertainty, recognizing self-questioning not as weakness, but as an essential part of agency, growth, and self-authorship.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800396562535,"sku":null,"price":1730.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779760249_77801.png?v=1779760269"},{"product_id":"retraction","title":"Retraction","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, silver leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e36x36\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile much of the Women \u0026amp; Agency collection focuses on redefining the evolving feminine gaze, Retraction and Refraction explore the emotional identities women embody—by nature, by society, and by choice.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eRetraction, in contrast, reflects the moments when women pull inward—whether as a means of protection, survival, or self-preservation. Together, these works hold tension between expansion and withdrawal, visibility and restraint. They acknowledge that agency is not always loud or outward-facing; sometimes it exists in the quiet decisions to conserve energy, to retreat, or to choose when and how to be seen.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThese pieces honor the complexity of womanhood and invite viewers to consider how light, emotion, and identity shift depending on the environments we move through.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800397709415,"sku":null,"price":1080.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779760398_45881.png?v=1779760418"},{"product_id":"protect-yourself","title":"Protect Yourself","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, liquid bronze leaf, charcoal on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x36\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProtect Yourself reflects the constant state of awareness many women carry—an instinct to remain guarded, both emotionally and physically. While outward appearances may suggest composure or strength, the internal landscape can feel restless, layered, and chaotic.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis piece explores how protection becomes second nature: guarding our hearts, our bodies, and our sense of safety in a world that asks women to remain alert at all times. It acknowledges the tension between visibility and vulnerability, and the emotional labor of navigating space while being deeply aware of how we are perceived and positioned within it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800400953447,"sku":null,"price":1040.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779760795_93475.png?v=1779760820"},{"product_id":"blue-6","title":"Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, liquid silver leaf, marker on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e30x42\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800401215591,"sku":null,"price":1785.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779760898_67223.jpg?v=1779760914"},{"product_id":"im-shy","title":"I'm Shy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, charcoal, spray paint, liquid silver on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e30x40\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’m Shy? explores the complexity of perceived insecurity and the ways it can function as power, performance, or self-protection. The piece questions how femininity is often shaped by expectation—where shyness can be read as vulnerability, desirability, or submission, depending on who is looking.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis work reflects on moments where women appear to give power away while quietly holding it, and whether that dynamic is a conscious strategy or an internalized role. It asks whether perceived power is something we actively claim, something projected onto us, or something we unknowingly negotiate through behavior. Ultimately, I’m Shy? invites reflection on perspective, agency, and the fine line between empowerment and self-deception.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800401510503,"sku":null,"price":1445.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779761014_57240.jpg?v=1779761031"},{"product_id":"hold-me","title":"Hold Me","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, sand on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x30\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHold Me is an exploration of longing, closeness, and the desire to fully belong to another person. The figures are locked in an embrace that conveys both comfort and impossibility—the awareness that no matter how tightly we hold someone, we cannot fully merge or dissolve into them.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis piece reflects on intimacy as an act of trust, where closeness is felt most deeply in the space that remains between two people. It captures the tension between desire and limitation, suggesting that true intimacy is not the absence of space, but the willingness to exist within it together.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800401805415,"sku":null,"price":870.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779761213_86449.jpg?v=1779761231"},{"product_id":"tell-me-you-love-me","title":"Tell Me You Love Me","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, gold leaf, silver leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e22x28\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTell Me You Love Me explores intimacy through language, vulnerability, and emotional need. The act of expressing love—and asking to hear it—requires trust and openness, revealing a desire for affirmation that can feel both tender and exposed.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis piece examines the tension between vulnerability and power within relationships. Is the need to hear “I love you” rooted in insecurity, reassurance, control, or emotional dependency? By centering this question, the painting invites reflection on how communication shapes intimacy and how emotional needs are negotiated between people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800402559079,"sku":null,"price":740.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779761344_51183.jpg?v=1779761360"},{"product_id":"butterfly-goddess","title":"Butterfly Goddess","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, gold leaf, charcoal on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x36\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800407310439,"sku":null,"price":1040.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779761905_26590.jpg?v=1779761920"},{"product_id":"ember-1","title":"Ember","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, rainbow leaf, charcoal, and gold leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20x20\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA quiet fire builds within as she decides to take the next step, one that will change everything. She has remained hidden for so long, but she finally knows it’s time. All forms of metamorphisms begin with that “Ember.” A passion that starts small but grows until a critical threshold of change is met. \r\u003cbr\u003eThat’s what Ember represents. The moment where one decides to step in the light and  claim their glory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800411635815,"sku":null,"price":480.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779762096_67297.png?v=1779762115"},{"product_id":"becoming-8","title":"Becoming","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e18x24\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis self-portrait lives in that in-between space.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eIt’s about great change.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eAbout resilience.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eAbout trusting the promise of something brighter on the other side — even when I can’t fully see it yet.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eI keep returning to the image of a caterpillar in transformation. How, in order to become something new, its insides must completely liquify — dissolving into what is essentially a soup — before reforming into something with wings.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThat process isn’t pretty.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eIt isn’t comfortable.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eAnd from the outside, it probably looks like destruction.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eBut it’s not.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eIt’s becoming.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eAnd so this portrait is a reminder — to myself first — that even when everything feels undone, something is still forming.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800419532903,"sku":null,"price":460.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779762320_22618.png?v=1779762339"},{"product_id":"we-are-human","title":"We Are Human","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x36\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800420384871,"sku":null,"price":385.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779972746_58548.jpg?v=1779975335"},{"product_id":"boram","title":"Boram","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic and charcoal on paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x18\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800421269607,"sku":null,"price":460.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779762731_19192.jpg?v=1779762747"},{"product_id":"yin-yang-4","title":"Yin \u0026 Yang","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, gold leaf, liquid silver leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e48x36\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43800422875239,"sku":null,"price":2080.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779763067_15052.jpg?v=1779763084"},{"product_id":"refraction-1","title":"Refraction","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, silver leaf, liquid silver on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e36x36x1\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile much of the Women \u0026amp; Agency collection focuses on redefining the evolving feminine gaze, Retraction and Refraction explore the emotional identities women embody—by nature, by society, and by choice.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eRefraction draws directly from its scientific definition: the bending of light as it passes through different mediums or densities. In this piece, refraction becomes a metaphor for women who remain unapologetically themselves as they move through the world. Their presence bends space. Their light—expressed through personality, care, love, and resilience—can feel almost blinding in its honesty. It is the declaration of shining regardless of circumstance, of allowing softness and strength to coexist.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThese pieces honor the complexity of womanhood and invite viewers to consider how light, emotion, and identity shift depending on the environments we move through.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43822681325671,"sku":null,"price":1085.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779760487_60029.jpg?v=1779978405"},{"product_id":"attachment","title":"Attachment","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, gold leaf, silver leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e22x28x1\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAttachment portrays a relationship that exists beyond traditional narratives of love and connection. Featuring three figures, the piece intentionally resists a singular interpretation, allowing viewers to project their own experiences of attachment, loss, desire, or transition onto the work.\r\u003cbr\u003e \r\u003cbr\u003eThe painting raises questions about what it means to move on while still holding on. Are these figures bound by love, memory, dependence, or something unnamed? Whether interpreted as lingering attachment, evolving relationships, or alternative forms of intimacy, Attachment challenges viewers to examine how their own attachments shape perception—and whether those attachments bring connection or create distance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43822681391207,"sku":null,"price":740.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779761461_80422.jpg?v=1779978435"},{"product_id":"space","title":"Space","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic, gold leaf, silver leaf on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e22x28x1\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpace explores the paradox of closeness—how two people can be physically near yet emotionally distant. The painting centers on the idea that intimacy does not eliminate distance, but rather exists within it. Even in moments of perceived closeness, space remains—physical, emotional, mental, or psychological.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis piece questions societal ideas of intimacy and connection, particularly how false closeness can emerge from fear of being alone rather than genuine understanding. By emphasizing the space between figures, the work invites reflection on whether intimacy is something we possess or something we continuously negotiate through trust.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43822681555047,"sku":null,"price":740.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779761676_43233.png?v=1779978452"},{"product_id":"reclaim","title":"Reclaim","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e16x20x1\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReclaim explores the act of returning to oneself after fragmentation, expectation, and survival. Through the presence of the tiger against an abstract landscape, the piece reflects themes of instinct, resilience, identity, and personal power. Layers of movement and color mirror the emotional complexity of transformation, while the tiger stands as a symbol of strength, protection, and self-possession. This work invites viewers to consider what it means to reclaim space, voice, and authenticity in a world that often asks us to shrink or disconnect from ourselves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bree Mercado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43822681620583,"sku":null,"price":385.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779762905_99973.png?v=1779978467"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/collections\/1_1779760398_45881.png?v=1779763112","url":"https:\/\/helloart.com\/collections\/bree-mercado.oembed","provider":"helloart","version":"1.0","type":"link"}