ABOUT

Mazzy Starla Her (b. 2003) is an emotional collector, scribbler, and conversationalist.

Artist Statement (The Apple Girl):

In the winter, after the bells and rosy cheeks, came the nodding shivers and peeling lips. The radiant apple girl pronounces herself constantly; She listens intently, and she wants to be heard.

Understanding overcomes the hateful assumptions made from fears about the unknown. I do not fear the shadows, I become them. In an attempt to preserve, I destroy. A reconstruction of faces, words, and lines to help me grasp this human condition, a constantly changing feat felt out of control but is actually a result of cultural evolution. In order to keep our experiences safe, I rip, burn, tape, bind, and post. Time will not wait for me, and they won’t bother asking me how it is here, but I’ll continue to build a fire to thaw this frost. In reflective alleyways, muddy backyards, and cold cement floors.

Right here it’s about bittersweetness, and it’s about acceptance for what we have. These collections and scribbles are what we use to paste our ephemeral voices onto their statements of hate, their desires for social categorization, and the evil that comes with being human. Give me the pages so I can tear them to shreds then meticulously layer them on top of each other, forming the contours of a hopeful season.

I am a Hmong American second generation mixed media artist, writer, and educator living, creating, and working in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Artist Biography:

Maz Hawj received her BFA in Fine Arts Studio Filmmaking from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She has given Hmong history lectures, taught introductory art lessons, and developed science-art projects at elementary and high schools within the Twin Cities. She works as a multimedia manager for Hmong Unity Group, a non-profit organization based in Saint Paul, MN providing specialized soccer programs, athletic and educational mentorship, and community outreach for Hmong youth athletes and families. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows at several Minneapolis locations. She is a member of the Teach Minnesota 2025 Cohort as a teaching fellow for the 2025-2026 academic school year.

email: mazhawj11@gmail.com

instagram: mazhawj

image credits: @jjphobic & tamishacastro.com