Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cristina Victor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Cristina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I strongly feel being willing to take risks is a huge and essential part of being a creative. When I started my art career as a full on practicing and exhibiting artist, I was deeply committed to a performance project that consumed my life and work for 4 years. I started to feel somewhat trapped by it even though it was all anyone wanted me to deliver for shows or events. Acknowledging that I longed to explore my work through other mediums and that the project had likely run its course I decided to bring it to a close despite the demand. I resolved to never feel trapped by the work I was doing. Thanks to that change, I learned that I am very versatile in what I can do as a creative and that failure is generative. Learning when to see a project or idea through is equally as important as knowing when to move on and try something new and challenging.

Cristina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Cuban-American, born and raised in Miami. I feel like all my work, no matter the medium stems from that hyphen. My family fled the Castro Regime in the late 60s and early 70s. So being around my elders had a strong impact on me growing up and so did the aesthetics, energy, and history of Miami. I’ve been an artist ever since I can remember playing as a child. Drawing is where it started. I went to public school for most of my early education and then attended Miami Dade Community College and its partner program at the New World School of the Arts. I did a good amount of study abroad in Italy before transferring to Sarah Lawrence College to finish my BA with a focus on Latin American History and literature. After living in New York for nearly 4 years, on a whim, I moved to the west coast and attended the San Francisco Art Institute where I earned my MFA in New Genres while focusing on performance, video, and installation. My work has carried me to various cities throughout the US but my new home is now in Charleston, South Carolina. I am a visual/ social practice artist that works in textiles, design, installation, public projects, ceramics, and just about anything that my idea requires me to work with. I use these mediums to materialize language, memory, and critique how the media construct identity. I typically have several works going on at once. I am also an avid Vexillologist (flag nerd). I design and make flags. I teach flag design through my public project, My Story Is My Flag, which I’ve been doing for 6 years now. The project involves me working with an organization to teach community members how to design their own unique flags. I help them make and refine their designs and then I produce their flag, either by hand or digitally to be manufactured. The idea is to encourage generative discussions about identity through design and visibility. I am also an educator at the College of Charleston and at my artist collective studio, Studio Union.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think artists deserve more respect outside the art market and need to be seen as worth investing in. Being an artist for many of us is an act of service. Having support from our governments and community organization to create and maintain art exhibitions, as well as education and communing spaces is an asset for all.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think every single person has the capacity and need to be creative. If you have a curiosity, or an idea you want to realize but feel limited by your skill knowledge, don’t let that be an excuse to hold you back from realizing it. Seek out support, allow yourself to play, fail, have fun and learn through your execution of your idea.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cristinavictor.com
• Instagram: @sabiaprojects @sabiaceramics

Image Credits
Office shot photo by El Informador White sculpture shot photo by Colin Consis