Melina Salinas
Artist Statement
I started to create “art” when I was a small girl in a traditional Mexican family. I was not like my mother, father, or my brothers, who all have completely different approaches to life than me, but it’s those differences that make me unique. I realized that I could use art as a medium to create anything that I wanted in a paper or digital format.
As a child wondering around the artistic side of the internet at the young age of 10 or so, I would see amazing artworks and animations by incredible artists online. I remember wanting to create artwork just like they did and so I started off with a cheap HEB sketchbook and a pencil. Every time I filled out a sketchbook, I would ask my mother to buy the same exact sketchbook. I still have a couple of those sketchbooks with me to remind myself on the starting stages of my art journey. As my experience with traditional artwork grew, however, I grew curious on digital art and did some research on how to get started. I soon began high school, and I begged my mother for an iPad and Apple Pencil to start drawing digitally. I fell in love with digital art due to its many advantages such as portability, one-time purchases, and how easy it is to start drawing right then and there. My art career had many twists and turns, but it is due to those twists and turns that I have learned what I know now as a young graphic design major.
Ever since I began to work digitally in high school, I knew I wanted to expand my digital art career by pursuing graphic design as a profession. I got into UTRGV as a graphic design major with the hopes of acquiring all I can about the profession. I learned a lot about graphic design such as being familiar with Adobe programs and the fundamental basics of graphic design like typography, photography, iconography and much more. Due to these teachings, I was able to find a steady way to approach my work. I start off my work by finding inspiration whether it be anything I’ve seen in person or online and start a sketch to bring forth any ideas that rush into my head. Although it sounds so simple in writing, it can be a very bothersome and excruciating process. However, that same process has brought forth many of my best artworks into fruition for me.
Throughout my time here in UTRGV, I learned how art can truly impact not just the artist, but the audience as well. I hope to inspire and evoke an emotional response from society using my work. I strive to create work that will impact society in a way that would make them feel how I did when creating it.
