Presentation: Crystal Galindo

Searching through social media, I stumbled upon Crystal Galindo, a Chicana artist from the San Francisco Bay area. This fact ended up being an extra reason to learn more about this artist because I was born and raised in the Bay area. Crystal Galindo was born in Tulare County, California, and recalls the first instances of art in her life through coloring books and drawing bed time stories for her three siblings. Her artistic inclination was inherited from her father, who originally was pursuing portraiture before he had to sacrifice his passion to join the workforce and support his family. Galindo was primarily self-taught until she began to take courses on drawing and painting at her local college, College of the Sequoias. I enjoy that Galindo came into more success and a larger audience through social media, after moving to the Bay area. Her art was gaining traction online while she was still an undergraduate student at Sonoma State University. It is important to note the role social media played in allowing Galindo, and many other women, access to an audience while still pursuing an education.

Galindo is most known for her portrait series Multifacetica. Upon first viewing her portraits, I could immediately sense Galindo's focus on female empowerment through the bold colors she chooses to use. There is a sense of pride and unwillingness to mute her subjects in Galindo's art. I was attracted to the way her subjects are portrayed as being unapologetic for who they are. Galindo continues to make strides as a Chicana artist who is putting a spotlight on women through her painted portraits of her family, friends, and other Chicana artists. Crystal Galindo's work has been showcased in galleries throughout California and I look forward to her getting the opportunity to expand her audience to other states and even countries.