In a world obsessed with speed, perfection, and surface, my art invites you to slow down — to feel, to remember, and to question what we truly value.
As a mixed media artist, I explore the interplay between value, destruction, and creation. I work almost exclusively with shredded currency and resin — one symbolizing the fleeting power of economics, the other the urge to preserve what cannot be held. Together, they form a visual language of memory, transformation, and quiet resistance.
I use decommissioned U.S. dollars and German Deutsche Marks — fragments of systems once absolute. No longer valid, these shredded bills become the foundation of my work. I layer, embed, and suspend them in resin like fossils in amber. Each piece meditates on value — monetary, emotional, and cultural — while inviting reflection on what we consider precious.
Shredded money, once a symbol of power and stability, becomes a fragmented relic. Reassembling it into intricate compositions challenges our perception of worth and beauty, and questions the systems that shape our lives. My transformation of these materials mirrors cycles of collapse and renewal — financial, societal, and personal.
Trained in classical painting, I turned to mixed media not in rejection, but in return — to instinct, texture, and truth. My art is shaped by my story: as a woman, a mother, and an artist in her prime. These are not limits — they are layers, sealed into the work like resin: vulnerable, strong, and alive.
Raised between Romanian tradition and Western urgency, I carry both sacred memory and broken modernity. I don’t create to decorate. I create to hold, to echo, and to stay.
In an age of noise and speed, I choose what’s been forgotten, shredded, and made invisible — and give it presence, voice, and soul.
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Born in Romania in May 1971, Doina-Mihaela is a self-taught artist with a lifelong passion for painting and drawing. During her early years in Romania, she worked in the cartoon industry, where she developed her artistic skills and creative vision. This period was followed by her mastery of the Galle technique, a highly intricate method of painting on glass, as a painter and decorator. This experience instilled in Doina meticulous attention to detail and a deep appreciation for complex artistic processes.
In 2004, Doina-Mihaela emigrated to the United States with her close family, bringing her rich cultural heritage and artistic expertise to a new environment. Settling in Illinois, Doina has participated in numerous group exhibits across the state.
Currently residing a few miles from Chicago, Doina continues exploring new artistic horizons. Her recent work involves an experimental technique using tiny pieces of shredded currency, meticulously arranged and glued to canvases. Through this medium, Doina seeks to shed light on the destructive power of unchecked greed. The fragments of shredded money symbolize the remnants of our materialistic desires, serving as a tangible representation of the lengths we go to fulfill our insatiable cravings.
Each piece crafted by Doina is a testament to her dedication and thought-provoking commentary on modern society. By transforming discarded currency into art, Doina-Mihaela challenges viewers to reflect on the true value of wealth and the impact of our collective obsession with material gain. Through her evolving body of work, she continues to push the boundaries of artistic expression, inviting audiences to engage with profound narratives and emotions.
