Meet the artist

Cristina Martinez

Cristina Martinez is an artist from Tacoma, Wa - based in Seattle. Though her formal foray into the art world was in fashion illustration, she was inevitably driven to more expansive forms of self-expression, self-exploration and articulations of self-love through painting—from thought-provoking self-portraits to boundless abstract pieces. Naturally, much of her work is the perfect amalgamation of her love for both creating on a canvas and at a sewing machine.

Beginning her prolific journey as an artistically-inclined child, in Tacoma, WA, her creative expression from a young age was rooted in the richness of her Black and Mexican heritage. The progeny of the strong women of her bloodline, her inheritance of feminine power, resilience, and sisterhood is exhibited in much of her art.

Somewhat ironically, it was her most deeply personal heartbreaks and vulnerabilities which birthed her collection with the broadest appeal—the “Water Me” series. These viral works can be found hung on gallery walls, stitched into garments across the globe, and permanently inked on a growing number of bodies.

This recurring theme, in her art, of finding beauty in the unexpected, often at the lowest depths, is an idea she lives and encourages in others.