ARTIST STATEMENT
In my passion to understand and appreciate people and culture, I use the camera as my tool of investigation. My approach to the studio, camera, and editing comes from an intuitive relationship I develop with the people that surround me, along with my culture, environment, memories, and dreams. My background in Fine Art, Chemistry, and Latin American studies helped solidify a synthesis of artistic experimentation with the study of culture. Such interests underpin my intuitive visual experimentation with mixed-media processes in both traditional/contemporary photography and digital manipulation, accompanied by the investigation of human emotions and relationships in sociocultural contexts.
In my work I explore cultural dynamics surrounding identity. My work reflects the emotional dimensions of personal memories, collected histories, and cultural myths through digital photomontages integrating portraits, cultural icons and individuals. In my work, such imagery seeks to simultaneously investigate the origins of cultural ideology and communicate them as imaginative narratives.
BIO
Elva Maria Salinas is an artist and an artistic educator currently living in San Antonio, TX. Elva grew up in Del Rio, TX, a small town on the U.S./Mexico border, which gave her a unique insight and perspective of both Mexican and American culture.
Elva received an M.F.A in Photography in May 2013 from Texas Woman’s University. Previous to that, she earned a B.F.A in Photography at The University of the Incarnate Word in 2007. Since 2002, she has dedicated her creative vision to photography and mixed-media arts. Her background in fine art, chemistry and Latin American studies helped solidify a synthesis of artistic experimentation and the study of culture. Such interests underpin her intuitive visual experimentation with mixed-media processes in both traditional/contemporary photography and digital manipulation, accompanied by the investigation of human emotions and relationships in sociocultural contexts. Elva has a record of national exhibition and awards for her Fine Art.
Salinas’ most recent work explores cultural dynamics surrounding the identities of Mexican-American women. This work reflects upon the emotional dimensions of personal memories, collected histories, and cultural myths through digital photomontages integrating portraits of Mexican-American cultural icons and individual women. In this work, such imagery seeks to simultaneously deconstruct the origins of cultural ideology, and rebuild cultural ideals as empowering narratives.
In my passion to understand and appreciate people and culture, I use the camera as my tool of investigation. My approach to the studio, camera, and editing comes from an intuitive relationship I develop with the people that surround me, along with my culture, environment, memories, and dreams. My background in Fine Art, Chemistry, and Latin American studies helped solidify a synthesis of artistic experimentation with the study of culture. Such interests underpin my intuitive visual experimentation with mixed-media processes in both traditional/contemporary photography and digital manipulation, accompanied by the investigation of human emotions and relationships in sociocultural contexts.
In my work I explore cultural dynamics surrounding identity. My work reflects the emotional dimensions of personal memories, collected histories, and cultural myths through digital photomontages integrating portraits, cultural icons and individuals. In my work, such imagery seeks to simultaneously investigate the origins of cultural ideology and communicate them as imaginative narratives.
BIO
Elva Maria Salinas is an artist and an artistic educator currently living in San Antonio, TX. Elva grew up in Del Rio, TX, a small town on the U.S./Mexico border, which gave her a unique insight and perspective of both Mexican and American culture.
Elva received an M.F.A in Photography in May 2013 from Texas Woman’s University. Previous to that, she earned a B.F.A in Photography at The University of the Incarnate Word in 2007. Since 2002, she has dedicated her creative vision to photography and mixed-media arts. Her background in fine art, chemistry and Latin American studies helped solidify a synthesis of artistic experimentation and the study of culture. Such interests underpin her intuitive visual experimentation with mixed-media processes in both traditional/contemporary photography and digital manipulation, accompanied by the investigation of human emotions and relationships in sociocultural contexts. Elva has a record of national exhibition and awards for her Fine Art.
Salinas’ most recent work explores cultural dynamics surrounding the identities of Mexican-American women. This work reflects upon the emotional dimensions of personal memories, collected histories, and cultural myths through digital photomontages integrating portraits of Mexican-American cultural icons and individual women. In this work, such imagery seeks to simultaneously deconstruct the origins of cultural ideology, and rebuild cultural ideals as empowering narratives.