Cristina Martinez Champions Black and Brown People in Her Work With Nordstrom
March 11, 2022 at 11:25PM Visual artist Cristina Martinez’s first encounter with art came from watching Bob Ross on TV. Though she admired his extraordinary talent - it’s what first sparked her interest in painting - she lamented the fact that it was challenging to find artists who looked like her. Today, with a colorful portfolio of self-portraits and abstract prints, plus a third collaboration with Nordstrom, she’s increasing representation for artists of color on her own. In fact, her work is rooted in making space for Black and brown people. Born an only child in Tacoma, WA, to a 15-year-old mother, the Afro-Latina artist spent a lot of time alone in her early years. While her mother worked three jobs, Martinez would gather nail polish and napkins and create elaborate paintings, which eventually gave way to more expansive forms of self-expression. True…
