We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tina Alberni. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tina below.

Tina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

I haven’t had just one particular challenge—challenges have been a constant throughout my career. When I think about everything I’ve had to learn and do, it’s daunting yet rewarding. As artists, we wear many hats—and the real challenge is juggling them all at once, often at full speed.

Throughout my 35-year career, I’ve faced a wide range of unexpected challenges. After earning a degree in art education, I began teaching middle and high school while maintaining my own professional art practice—a demanding balance that often left me stretched thin. Managing health challenges along the way made it even more essential to prioritize my well-being without sacrificing my artistic ambitions. When I transitioned into graphic design and became a creative director, I had to teach myself industry tools and quickly adapt to the shifting landscape of print media, which was both exciting and overwhelming.

Later, when I became a full-time artist, financial uncertainty became a new challenge as I adjusted to the unpredictable nature of income from grants, commissions, and sales. Co-owning a small gallery presented its own obstacles, from business logistics to maintaining strong partnerships.

Applying for grants and public art commissions means constantly navigating bureaucratic red tape, rejections, and occasional community pushback. The process can be incredibly complex and time-consuming—each application often requires extensive proposals, budgets, and documentation, and unless you can afford to hire someone, you have to figure it all out yourself. Serving on boards and jurying shows adds prestige but also requires me to balance my personal artistic goals with broader community responsibilities.

Now, as I exhibit regularly and attend events to stay connected, I continually navigate the demands of self-promotion, especially in the digital age. Staying relevant means constantly learning—whether it’s teaching myself new technologies or keeping up with shifts in the art world, which are constant! Legal and copyright issues in digital spaces remain a concern, and keeping affordable studio space is always a challenge. But through it all, my ability to pivot, learn, and persist keeps me moving forward, ensuring that my work continues to evolve in meaningful ways.

If I had to pinpoint one overarching struggle, it would be learning how to maximize time. My first real test with this challenge came when I became an art teacher. Every minute of my day was scheduled, leaving no wiggle room when the unexpected happened—and it happened often. I had to think on my feet, be resourceful, push myself harder, toughen up, and learn from each experience. Fifteen years of teaching taught me efficiency, discipline, and resilience, and I came to realize I was stronger than I ever thought. That foundation of time management and adaptability remains the backbone of how I run my professional art career today.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My love for art began early, inspired by watching my mother paint. By age six, I was experimenting with oils, and that spark never left. I later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education with a focus on printmaking, which led to a 15-year teaching career in middle and high schools. Teaching was incredibly rewarding and exposed me to new techniques and ideas that deeply influenced my evolving style.

My artistic journey spans over 35 years, evolving from traditional painting and printmaking into a multidisciplinary practice that blends physical and digital materials. I work at various scales and for diverse venues—from permanent public installations to gallery exhibitions and private and corporate collections. Born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico and Bogotá, Colombia, I was shaped by the contrasts of beauty and hardship. That multicultural experience continues to inform my work, which explores themes of connection, resilience, and transformation.

What sets my work apart is its immersive, layered nature. I blend improvisation, repurposed materials, and digital technologies to create research-driven pieces that explore coexistence, consciousness, climate change, and technology’s effect on human connection. I see art not just as an object, but as a catalyst for conversation. My goal is to engage viewers beyond aesthetics—to prompt reflection and inspire change.

My artistic evolution has followed a series-based approach. I began with black and white works, moved into vibrant organic shapes inspired by macrophotography, then shifted to geometric forms influenced by rooftops in the cities I’ve visited. Since 2018, I’ve focused on endangered species, driven by a deep concern for nature’s fragility. That series is still ongoing, while I also explore large-scale textile assemblages and works incorporating glass.

Over the years, I’ve shown my work in more than 100 solo, group, and virtual exhibitions worldwide. Highlights include phygital exhibitions in Dubai, Seoul, Lisbon, and Basel, Switzerland. My work has also appeared on billboards in Miami, Charlotte, Barcelona, and Austria. I’ve received grants from the Charlotte Arts and Science Council and first-place awards for my innovative use of digital media. Recent shows include exhibitions in New York, California, and North Carolina—where my most recent featured show, Equilibrium, was presented by the Cabarrus Arts Council and showcased six paintings enhanced with augmented reality. I also recently had my digital work featured at the Mondoir Gallery in Dubai.

What I’m most proud of isn’t a single moment, but the cumulative journey—each grant, exhibit, collector response, or community interaction adds meaning to my path. One of the most rewarding outcomes has been hearing from people who say my work made them more aware—of nature, their consumption habits, or even inspired them to donate or advocate. This aligns with my core belief that art should contribute to something greater.

Every piece I create carries intention. Whether a painting, digital piece, or public installation, it’s rooted in storytelling, impact, and innovation. A portion of every sale supports a nonprofit connected to the subject of the work. To collectors, clients, and followers: I want my work to do more than decorate a space—I want it to build bridges, ignite conversations, and spark meaningful awareness.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience, for me, has never been about overcoming one singular challenge—it’s been about consistently adapting to an ever-changing landscape. Whether navigating the financial unpredictability of an artist’s life, dealing with health challenges, learning new skills, staying ahead of technological shifts, or advocating for my place in the art world, every challenge has been difficult but has reinforced my determination. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that resilience isn’t just about persistence; It’s about attitude: it’s about evolution—finding ways to grow, learn, and keep creating, no matter what obstacles arise. Having said all that, I think resilience is powered by the desire to want to improve, step things-up a notch If that is not there then I think the capacity to adapt is not there either.

A few years ago, I had major foot surgery that kept me off my feet for several months. I couldn’t paint, and I could only sketch so much before boredom set in. I had a choice—one part of me wanted to spend my days resting and watching movies, but the thought of three months without using my time wisely felt irresponsible. Instead, I decided to push myself in a new direction, immersing myself in digital technologies, the metaverse, and NFTs. While these topics spark debate among creatives, I believe AI and digital advancements are here to stay. We can either ignore them or take the time to learn and determine how—or if—they fit into our practice.

Rather than let the setback stall my progress, I used my downtime as an opportunity to grow. Over those three months, I taught myself Procreate, explored augmented reality and artificial intelligence, and got involved in metaverse exhibitions. That persistence opened doors I never expected—I was invited to metaverse shows and phygital exhibits around the world, gaining opportunities that reshaped my artistic path. Today, I’m a genesis artist on an L1 blockchain for creators, where my digital work is available globally for purchase, art streaming, and print-on-demand. I could not have imagined that happening in a million years otherwise.

This experience reinforced what I’ve always known—resilience isn’t just about overcoming obstacles; it’s about using those difficult or challenging moments as fuel to evolve, adapt, and push forward.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

For many non-creatives, the life of an artist can seem like an enigma—sometimes even a contradiction. There’s a common assumption that artists spend their days leisurely painting, waiting for inspiration to strike, or that art is just a hobby rather than a legitimate career. That our schedules are always flexible, unlike those of “real professionals.”

The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. My path, as I’ve shared, has required constant adaptation, resilience, self-motivation, curiosity, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Unlike traditional careers with stable salaries and clear trajectories, being a professional artist means navigating financial uncertainty, learning the ins and outs of how to apply for grants, creating and posting all my own marketing materials, maintaining my website daily, writing and disseminating press releases, creating newsletters, engaging in public art initiatives, searching for opportunities, attending networking events, handling contracts, keeping up with professional development, researching the subjects of my artwork,

maintaining an ongoing inventory of materials, framing my own work, engaging with local artists and groups, keeping up with ever-evolving technologies, not to mention create inspiring work—and the list goes on and on.

Every piece I create isn’t just about aesthetics—it involves research, storytelling, and often a deep emotional or societal message. Yet, because the end result is something visual, people sometimes overlook the monumental effort behind it.

What’s even harder for non-creatives to grasp is the sheer number of hats an artist must wear. I’m not just a creator; I’m a small business owner, social commentator, educator, curator, and innovator. I’ve had to teach myself so much along my journey, all while ensuring my work remains true to my artistic vision.
Unlike careers with a clear work-life separation, my practice is intertwined with who I am, meaning there’s rarely a moment when I’m not thinking about art, researching, or planning my next project. Many don’t realize that creating the art itself is just one part of the countless things that need to happen to sustain this career.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://tinaalberni.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinas_art_beat/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-alberni/
• Twitter: https://x.com/tinas_art_beat