Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristina Peters
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have loved art for as long as I can remember. I would go through phases of obsession with different forms of art: pencil sketches, photography, sculpture, collage, painting, jewelry making, cinematography, poetry, creative writing…you name it. I also danced ballet from a very young age, so it was always a split between the two of what I wanted to pursue, especially going into a high school for the arts and then college after that. Ultimately, after an injury I ended up spending my post-high school years more focused on art, although I continued to dance in the University of Richmond’s dance company while getting my degrees in Marketing and Visual and Media Arts Practice. From there I started working for Alice Blue, a production studio based in Richmond, VA. where I grew up, as a Designer and Art Director. I expanded my areas of expertise there and really focused on more digital arts, such as editing photo and video, animation, and digital illustration. I started Cristina Más very recently, but it has always been a dream of mine. I like to think of it as a “dreamatorium” where people can come with an idea and I can help them make it a reality. It mostly started with birthday cards – I started making cards for my (now) husband on each of his birthdays, which expanded to other holidays as well. Then I thought it would be fun to create them for other friends, since regular birthday and holiday cards felt impersonal and boring. Those friends then started requesting cards for THEIR friends and family members. I got so much joy from creating something so special and personal that I knew the recipient would treasure, and I wanted to expand that beyond just cards. I have done custom illustrations of the places that couples met, wedding invitation designs and drawings of couples for wedding gifts, custom pottery pieces, tattoo designs, and more. Art is subjective not just in the way it is viewed, but also in the way that it is created. I think we should hone in on that to create material that makes more than just “people” feel something, but one person in particular. And that is what Cristina Más is all about!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No one ever talks much about the “money thing.” Its uncomfortable to have conversations about money, especially when you start off doing business with friends/family. I have created pieces of work that afterward, people haven’t wanted to pay for because they thought I was doing it as a “favor” or because, “art is fun for you, right?” But with time and practice and mistakes you learn, and I am sure I will continue to learn moving forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love creating in general, and any personalized illustration I find to be really rewarding. But I think my custom cards are what I am most excited about currently. Nothing says, “I thought about this last-minute” more than a generic grocery store card with your name scribbled inside of it. The cards I have made contain inside jokes, nods to TV shows and movies that the recipient loves, actual illustrations of the person being celebrated, illustrations of people’s pets, etc. I think receiving a card like that is a gift on its own. It says, “I care about you, I have been thinking about you, and you deserve something beautiful that is unique to YOU.”
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Right now I am just on Etsy and word-of-mouth. My ideal goal would be to have an actual boutique store. Of course I would sell my artwork there and take custom orders, but I also would love to sell other local artists’ creations, in addition to recycled antique furniture (another hobby of mine), clothing, books, and goods from Mexico and Spain (my family is from Spain and I also lived in Mexico before moving to Texas). I want it to be a place where you can wander in, see beautiful things and get creative ideas, and leave with a unique card, a handmade gift, a bottle of Spanish wine, and maybe some flowers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cristinapeters.com
- Instagram: crisirena
- Other: https://cristinamasboutique.etsy.com
