Local Artist Christin Apodaca
By Claudia Flores
Christin Apodaca, a 29-year-old artist starts to set her own mark with her unique style as a local painter and illustrator in the City of El Paso.
Born and raised in El Paso, Apodaca discovered her passion for at a very young age, and it was through pencil and sketchbooks that the artist developed her talent.
“I’ve always had the inclination to draw. I’ve kept sketchbooks as early as middle school, one of which I still have,” Apodaca said. “I’m very happy that I was able to attend elementary, middle, and high schools that encouraged many classes and creative processes.”
Through her Instagram account, Apodaca features her artwork on a daily basis. Portraits of people, in a very distinctive style, where she uses a cross hatching technique to create her illustrations, most of them in black and white.
Apodaca, who graduated from The University of New Mexico in studio art with a concentration in oil painting, said that after moving back from New Mexico to El Paso it was the lack of space what led her to experiment with other styles and techniques.
“I went to college for oil painting. That style of painting takes space and proper ventilation,” Apodaca said. “After I graduated and moved back to El Paso, I didn’t have the same studio space as I did in New Mexico, so I had to work with what I had. What I had was a lot of paper and a lot of pens and markers. I practiced with those until I made something I liked and that’s how I got to where I am now.”
Throughout the years through her social media platform, Apodaca has been able to showcase her work. That has given her the chance to grow and has given her the necessary recognition to leave her own mark in community.
Apodaca has participated as guest-artist for Neon Desert Music Festival and has painted murals throughout the city in places such as the local gallery Dream Chasers, West Elm, located at The Fountains at Farrah and Segundo Barrio, located on the shopping district between El Paso Street and Father Rahm.
The mural in Segundo Barrios shows a girl in front of a rows of cacti with a bright red background, according to Apodaca she wanted to create a contrast between her piece and the busy area where the mural is located.
“I wanted to create something “natural” to contrast the manmade. That’s where the nopalitos came in. Most of my work is figurative, so the female represents persistence and protection. She is all of us while the cacti are our surroundings, our home,” Apodaca said.
As her inspiration Apodaca said she uses not only the world around her but the simplicity of being human and this has led her to experiment with other art techniques such as surrealism.
In the las couple of years, El Paso has grown into very art-driven city, this has given local artists like Apodaca the opportunity to play and experiment with the unique landscape of El Paso and its diversity.
“El Paso has become more welcoming to artwork that isn’t typical ‘El Paso art, we’ve allowed ourselves to embrace different ideas of what El Paso means to different people,” Apodaca said. “We’re a colorful Bordertown and I’ve been welcomed as an artist that doesn’t use any color and I think that’s fantastic! I think we’re embracing the diversity of artists that we have and giving them a spotlight to show what they can do.”
In a business where men lead, Apodaca works hard for her goals, not only to prove her talent and abilities, but to make a space for women in the arts.
“Being a female artist is definitely interesting. Early on, I felt like I had to do more work in order to prove my abilities and validate my work,” Apodaca said. “Now I feel like I’ve found some sort of rhythm and more of a place for what I’m doing. I think with anything, if you want to succeed, you have to be able to work just as hard if not harder than your colleagues.”
For women is always harder to find a spot in the art scene and spread their voice, and Apodaca mentioned the importance for women to have a place in the art scene.
“Whether it’s on a local level or even a national level, women still remain underrepresented and undervalued in museums and galleries,” Apodaca said. “I feel like it’s extremely important for women to not only have a voice but a permanent place in the arts. I feel like we have just as much talent to be recognized as artists as men do.”
As Apodaca continues to receive recognition through her social media accounts and even in public places, she said the process it’s still something she is getting used to.
“It’s weird and beautiful at the same time! I love the positive feedback I get from people on social media and in person. It definitely makes me feel like I’m doing something right and moving in a good direction. Art isn’t much without some sort of audience,” Apodaca said.
Apodaca is still working on projects of her own and some local projects for the local soccer team El Paso Locomotive FC.
To know more about Apodaca and her work visit her Instagarm @christin.m.a