Mariajuanita Guzman

MJ at the easel, with Blue Frida

When her future husband Cisco first met Mariajuanita, or MJ, as everyone who loved her called her (some said Maryjane, but hardly anyone used her beautiful full name), he asked her a simple question: What's your passion? Her eyes lit up instantly. "Oil painting," she said without hesitation. "It will always be my first love."

But when he asked why she wasn't painting, her answer broke his heart. She had just moved and couldn't afford the supplies. She didn't know when she'd have the extra money again. The very next day, they went to the art store together. Cisco didn't care if he had to work more hours to cover it; seeing the joy on her face as they filled that cart with canvases, brushes, and paints was all that mattered.

From that moment on, she never stopped. She painted every single day, often late into the night, pouring her soul onto canvas after canvas. Her passion was unstoppable.

For twelve beautiful years, they shared their lives together: six years before they married on July 12, 2019, and six years as husband and wife. They called themselves the "RoamingPigs" because they loved to travel and eat. Together they roamed the world for over eight years, backpacking through Mexico from Tijuana all the way to Bacalar, exploring every corner of Central America, wandering through Colombia, Croatia, and beyond. They lived in Australia, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. Everywhere they went, MJ made friends. Real friends. The kind you keep forever.

And through it all, she painted. When oils became impractical on the road, she adapted, first mastering acrylics, then digital art. She was brilliant in every medium she touched, bringing the same fierce creativity and unique vision to each new challenge.

Her passion for art was matched only by her warmth, her laughter, and the love she brought to everyone around her. She loved food, dancing, and singing, and was an absolutely amazing cook. When COVID finally slowed their travels, they settled in Las Vegas, filling their home with art, adventure, and joy.

She was absolutely amazing.

This is why The Mariajuanita Guzman Art Foundation exists. MJ knew what it felt like to have a dream but lack the means to pursue it. Now, in her name, we remove those barriers for other artists. Her art lives on. Her spirit endures. Her legacy continues.