Conversations with Arlene Martinez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arlene Martinez.

Hi Arlene, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I started my art journey freshman year of High School. I didn’t know I could draw until one day, I picked up a pencil and decided to draw Mickey Mouse from a photo album. To my surprise, it looked just like the original. When I was contemplating what to do as a career, art was an option. I wanted to do hair, a form of art, and do art school as well. I did go cosmetology school and have been a hairdresser for 20 years. Unfortunately, I never made it to art school. Fast forward to December 2019. I wanted art for my apartment & nothing appealed to me. When scrolling through the internet abstract art caught my attention. I said to myself I wonder if I can make that? I went on YouTube and started learning everything I could about alcohol inks, one of the mediums I work with. Then the pandemic hit giving extra time to focus on art. I opened an Instagram account @arlenes.ink and have been making art for people around the U.S. My recent journey is getting my art printed on products like phone cases and notebooks. You can find me on RedBubble. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was very skeptical to start my Instagram account for art because I never thought I was good enough. Not good going to art school felt like I was an imposter, my friends, my husband, family & friends helped me to overcome that. I do have a title. It’s called intuitive artist, and that’s something you can’t teach. It’s who you are. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an artist. I work with alcohol inks and acrylic paint. I also do texture art with acrylic paint. My largest canvas is texture and ink 31” x 51”, and it’s one of the pieces I’m most proud of. I have shipped out art from New York to California and states along the way. I do texture art with acrylic paint on canvas. Alcohol inks are done on synthetic paper that you can frame yourself.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Knowing that I’m doing my best makes me happy. Having my art in people’s home makes me so happy; never did I imagine I would have my art hung on people’s walls! Also, the print-on-demand has been a cheery on top. Seeing my art on so many products is an amazing feeling. 

Pricing:

• Mini inks start at $30

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @arlenes.ink

Image Credits
Samuel Jr. Ramirez