Today we’d like to introduce you to Salina Law.
Salina, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I have been drawing and painting since I was 4 years old. I was born in Hong Kong and spent most of my life in Honolulu, Hawaii with my family. Beauty, fashion, and art has always been an interest of mine and I have spent countless hours learning about different art techniques while in school. After earning my degree in Marketing at the University of Hawaii, I became a makeup artist and spent 20 years painting beautiful faces from around the world. I so love the transformational qualities of makeup and paint! In addition, I have been lucky enough to work with some of the most amazing photographers, models, designers, and stylists- both backstage at NY Fashion Week, and creative photo shoots. Makeup artistry has allowed me to see objects in a more realistic and way and ignited my interest in photography. Plus, it has enriched my skills in painting. Being in Florida with so much nature and wildlife, I often find inspiration for photography and paintings alike. My paintings are often inspired by nature and beauty. They are often in acrylic, watercolor, or oil. My photography is also deeply inspired by the natural beauty all around us.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I do a variety of creative artwork. I often call myself a visual artist because my work is so ever-evolving and I dabble in a lot of projects that catch the eye. I do photography of birds, flowers, and even my dog. I shoot with my Nikon D3200 and my iPhone. I can’t say I am a great photographer…I am still learning! As for my paintings, they are often canvases and gesso board in acrylics and oils. Moreover, I have numerous drawings in graphite, pencil, and ink on paper. Once I awhile, I will do a watercolor piece as it was what I worked with when I started painting at a young age. And, finally, I love makeup and try to do as many beauty and avante-garde photo shoots as possible. My skills are both self-taught and classically trained.
I create because I think this world is muddled with so many unnecessary complications. I create because I want to take the viewer away from the complications of life and to see beauty. To me, beauty is what makes the world go round! I want to captivate whoever wants to see my creations.
I would like for people to see my work and understand that there is a big world around us. Nature is beautiful and so are its creatures. This is why I often paint animals…I will research them online and then create my own version of their beauty. Most of my work are currently studies that I hope to use as inspiration for other pieces.
Why do I create? I create to show others that they can create too! People always say that they can’t paint, they can’t draw, or they can’t sing. But, what they don’t know is that they CAN! It takes patience, diligence, and repetition. Practice makes perfect. People like my work and say I make things look real. Often times, they assume it is an innate talent I was born with. But, what they may not know is that my talent took a lot of self-development and self-criticism. I have to consistently practice to improve my skill and to me, each piece is never finished unless I have done everything I can to make it as beautiful as I possibly can. Even now, I keep busy so I can create more pieces, whether it is a makeup look, painting, or drawing to inspire others to develop their artistry skills. It makes me feel good and it gives me a sense of purpose.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I think life has become difficult for artists in that there are so many of us! And, because there are so many of us, it is hard to market ourselves and create the pricing that can help us survive and give buyers what they want.
On the flip side, it has become easier for artists to get exposure because of social media. If I didn’t have an IG account, this magazine wouldn’t have found me!
I think our cities can have more events and online magazines share the work that local artists do. Perhaps more networking events in person or online would help connect artists with each other or with buyers.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work is featured on IG @artistsalinalaw and my makeup website is: salinalawartistry.com. People can message me directly on my IG or my website if they are interested in my work. They can also email me at: salinaworks@yahoo.com. I do freelance work on the side (makeup and painting).
Contact Info:
- Website: salinalawartistry.com
- Email: salinaworks@yahoo.com
- Instagram: artistsalinalaw
- Facebook: facebook.com/salinaworks
- Twitter: twitter@salinalaw
- Other: linkedin.com/salinalaw
Image Credit:
Yana Uvarova
Lisu Vega
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