Rising Stars: Meet Michael and Kristina Montoya of Tucson Arizona

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael and Kristina Montoya.

Hi Michael and Kristina, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
“Our love for film, television, and the Southwest motivates us to inspire creativity through art, apparel, and storytelling.” in 2019, the Montoya family created Sparrows & Sombreros. A unique art brand based out of Tucson, Arizona, with an unmistakable style and a strong emphasis on Chicano, South Western, and pop culture mash-ups. If you were to come across a Sparrows & Sombreros booth at one of the many art shows and markets they frequent, you might see things like a winged Javelina on a t-shirt or a coffee mug with a wacky Kermit the frog T-rex. You may find prints of some of your favorite Star Wars characters decked out in ’90s Chicano fashion.

You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
We started our company right before the pandemic hit, so right away, we lost our primary source of selling which is markets and art shows. We had to get creative fast, so we immediately built our online presence and worked on getting our product into local stores like Bookman’s, Pop cycle, and Antigone Books. We were also fortunate to be part of the Saint Philip’s Plaza Market in Tucson, AZ., which was one of the only outdoor markets functioning at the time (under strict guidelines from the health department.)

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The artwork of Sparrows & Sombreros was created by Michael Montoya – a multimedia artist born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He’s done everything from working as a dance choreographer to working as a tattoo artist. “I grew up street dancing in Tucson, AZ. I began teaching dance when I was fifteen years old and continued off and on for over twenty years.” Throughout the years, Michael has worked in many artistic mediums, such as music production, commercial design, sound design, writing, video editing, and animation. Aside from Sparrows & Sombreros, Michael is also known for The Drawings Of Bigfoot – a social media page filled with witness composite sketches he created for people who have seen these creatures worldwide.

Kristina Montoya grew up in Sunnyvale, California, where she developed her passion for art, fashion, and West Coast culture. She received a degree in merchandising and product development through the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, California. Kristina, the true backbone of the company, has lived in Tucson for the past eleven years, where she has worked with several organizations considered pillars of Tucson’s community, such as The Rialto Theatre, Iheart Raido, KXCI Community Radio (local Tucson radio) and The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. “While working for the Girl Scouts, I saw an opportunity to do freelance work for their store. I created several designs for t-shirts, water bottles, and thermoses. I sourced all the materials and manufacturing myself, made them, and sold them to the company. This, in many ways, was the birth of Sparrows & Sombreros.”

How would we have described you growing up if we knew you were growing up?
Michael – I was a kid in the eighties and a teen in the nineties, so I grew up with a steady diet of Speilberg movies and Saturday morning cartoons.

Kristina – I remember having a Return Of The Jedi poster in my room when I was tiny. It was the first Star Wars movie I ever saw, and I was instantly obsessed with Princess Leia. I was also that kid who would make and alter all of my clothing.

Pricing:

• Art prints 8×10 inches : $15
• Apparel: $15-$45
• Original Art: $40- $400
• Candles: $15- $25

Contact Info:

• Website: sparrowsandsombreros.com
• Instagram: @sparrowsandsombreros
• Facebook: @sparrowsandsombreros
• Youtube: @thedrawingsofbigfoot