MFA 2024 Artists MFA 2024 Artists: Darley Ortiz Garcia

MFA 2024 Artists

Darley Ortiz Garcia

UMass Dartmouth 2024 MFA Thesis Exhibition

About Darley Ortiz Garcia

Darley Ortiz Garcia is an animator and storyteller based in Rhode Island. Her stories aim not only to introduce an audience to other cultures and larger societal issues, but also to inspire that audience to explore more of the world and establish deeper connections with those around them. Ortiz Garcia's Mexican heritage and close family bonds powerfully shape their work, inspiring narratives centered on the importance of family. Darley earned a BFA in both Graphic Design and Animation + Game Arts at UMass Dartmouth and is currently pursuing an MFA in Digital Media.

Statement

I have always loved to tell stories, more so creating them. This passion often leads me to conversations where I am frantically explaining how the world I created, Lernel works and how characters like Delmare or her parents are impacted by the ecosystem in which they live in.

While it is important to me that the characters feel real, with not just goals and flaws but also include moments where they appear irrational, moody or even out of character. This emphasizes their humanity. After all, everyone has quirks that can be charming one moment and lead to their downfall the next.

While working on this project, I realized that animation with sound would allow the audience a deeper exploration of the culture I have been developing.My hope is that my work conveys that world-building is more than creating backgrounds or characters. It was about creating cultures, languages, and traditions that make the world feel lived-in.