Meet Kristina Valencia | Art Teacher and artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristina Valencia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristina, what inspires you?
Inspiration comes from many different aspects of my life. In terms of subject matter, I am mostly inspired by the desert and nature. I am a native Tucsonan, left for college, and came right back. I love the colors, the mountains, the wildlife, the weather. Everything about the desert is inspirational. That definitely extends to nature in general. I just find beauty all around and when I find myself in difficult times, it is nature that grounds me and helps me put things in perspective.

Another thing I am inspired by is the work of other artists. I have been an art teacher for most of my professional life and teaching others about art has helped me appreciate all types of art. While we all have our favorite styles, it is so meaningful to study other artists’ inspiration, stories, and techniques. I go to art museums whenever I have a chance and love to see the creativity of others. I am in awe of what others create!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My story as an artist is ever evolving! I have spent a good deal of my life as an art teacher and parent to 3 wonderful children. For quite some time, I was focused on raising my children and creating artistic experiences for the children in my classroom as well as developing art camps and art clubs for further enrichment. When difficult times hit me on a personal level, a friend and I decided to open a paint and sip business. It was wonderful and rewarding to work with adults in addition to children and I created quite an extensive display of paintings for the business. It was a great way to stretch my creative thinking and build on and practice my skills. As a single mom, every artistic endeavor has been rewarding but a great deal of work and I found myself working days, evenings, and weekends. It was time for a change and so I left the business and started a new teaching job. While I have enjoyed and learned from every experience, I have always wanted to have my own online business and although I still teach, I am finally working towards it. It has been quite a learning curve as I paint, photograph, print, post, update, and ship. I have a long way to go but it’s a start!

With some of my work on Etsy and Instagram already, I am working on building my online presence even more with a website and facebook page. I have sold most of my paintings and prints by word of mouth but feel that I can make the biggest difference online. I have a bit of work still to do but am excited to be sharing my paintings and can’t wait to see what this leads to next. It takes some courage to put your art out into the world not knowing how people will respond to it but I don’t see the point of creating something and hiding it away. Art is made to be shared and I hope that my art speaks to some and adds just a glimmer of beauty to this world. I also hope that, through my many teaching experiences, I have inspired others to take a risk and share their own beautiful creations as well. What a boring place the world would be without art in all of its forms!

My story has not always been an easy one. I have endured many struggles but the biggest lessons I have learned are to keep your head up, lean on your faith and support system, and believe in yourself. We all have a purpose and by persevering, we will find what our purpose is. I hope that people enjoy my work and I am excited to see what the future holds!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Tucson has so much to offer and I would definitely start by taking visitors to Sabino Canyon and Saguaro National Monument to experience the desert in all of it’s glory. The Desert Museum, Botanical Gardens, and Mt. Lemmon would make the list as well because one of the reasons Tucson is so special is that you can enjoy the outdoors almost year round! The wonderful authentic Mexican food cannot be missed when visiting Tucson so a lunch or dinner outing to Minidito, Seis Kitchen, or Pacos would be next on the list of things to do! There are many other locally owned businesses that would be fun to visit like Bookmans, Eegees, and the unique stores along 4th Avenue. And, of course, catch the sunset!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family! I grew up with very supportive and encouraging parents who always had something positive to say. They recognized my talents, encouraged me, and taught me to believe in myself. I am grateful and fortunate to have had such wonderful parents that taught my sisters and I that we can be successful at anything we choose to do. Although my parents have passed on now, my sisters and my children have become my biggest supporters now. Whether I am putting together a summer art camp, starting an art business, or developing an online store, they help me talk through ideas and details, give suggestions, share my work with others, and encourage me with their kind words. They are my support system and I want to give my family a shoutout for their endless love and support!

Instagram: @desertdahldesigns

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-dahl-valencia

Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DesertDahlDesigns

Image Credits
Kristina Valencia