Artistically inclined from a young age, Cristina Martinez was attending fashion school when she had a realization: Her passion wasn’t necessarily sparked by the clothes she was sketching, but by the stories behind her work. Drawing from her Black and Mexican roots, and from the lives, histories, and cultures of the community around her, Martinez started producing paintings that vividly capture the joys, challenges, and intricacies of life as a woman of color. 

Originally from Tacoma, and now Seattle-based, Martinez has been on meteoric rise over the past five years, with a sold-out show at TASWIRA Gallery (now Avery Barnes Gallery), a place in the 2025 Seattle Art Fair’s Select VIP Program, a collaboration with Nordstrom, and a mural created in collaboration with the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle. In February, she was announced as one of the 2026 Neddy Artist Award Finalists in the Painting category. The rhythm, vibrance, and vulnerability of her work are both personal and communal, catching the viewer as they pass and inviting them back for a second look. 

Martinez’s work will be part of a group show, You’ve Had It In You All Along, at Avery Barnes Gallery starting April 1. The show, which also features the work of Barbara Earl Thomas, Tariqa Waters, Robert Wade, Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes, and Nahom Ghirmay, runs through June 7.

Hometown

Tacoma, Washington (lives in Seattle)

Discipline

Multidisciplinary visual artist 

Favorite Spot in Seattle

Every independent bookstore.

Describe your work in three words

Perseverance. Rooted. Growing.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? 

Art was always in me. From a very young age, I turned to it for peace and comfort, recognizing early on that art made me feel something. It wasn’t until I was older that I was able to take that feeling and do something great with it—something that would make other people feel too. That’s when I knew I could make something of myself by creating art.

Where do you find inspiration? 

My inspiration comes from nature, from my lived experiences, and from the people around me who shaped me into who I am.

What are you working on now / When is your next show? 

I’m excited about my upcoming work in a group exhibition at Avery Barnes Gallery, and I’m also working on my first international solo exhibition.

What draws you to your particular medium? 

I don’t like to tie myself to a particular medium. I believe in floating around creatively and using whatever materials I need to tell the most impactful story in that moment.

Tell us about your proudest moment as an artist. 

My proudest moments as an artist center around children. Anytime I can make a child feel something with my work, anytime I can see that my work has impacted a young person—especially when I get to watch them break down that wall of fear, let go of the worry of messing up, and just go for it—that’s top tier for me. And on a personal note, when my then one-year-old recognized my work out of 12 other artists hung on the same wall, that was absolutely a proud moment.

Share one piece of advice you wish you knew when you were first starting out. 

Don’t focus on only creating when you’re inspired. Use your art as a form of documentation—something that can happen at all phases of your life. Use your work and your process as a means of storytelling. And never give into the pressure that you have to share every single thing. Some things are just for you.

Define success on your terms. 

Success, on my terms, is having the tools and resources to always be in a space where I have what I need to create without limits. Success is being able to make anything you want to make.

What do you still hope to accomplish? 

Sculpture is a big one. I also hope to have a solo museum exhibition and more opportunities to impact youth creatively.

If you weren’t making art, what would you be doing? 

Being a mom. I’d be the best stay-at-home mom—top tier.