Check Out Cristina Paulos’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristina Paulos.

Hi Cristina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was raised in sunny California, growing up in the San Fernando Valley where creativity and culture shaped my everyday life. My childhood weekends were spent at Japanese school in Sunland—right near the neighborhood made famous by The Karate Kid—a small but fun cultural footnote in my story.

For high school, I commuted across Los Angeles to attend Los Angeles County High School for the Arts in East LA. Surrounded by passionate young artists, I found my creative voice. Many of those classmates are still dear friends. Those years were filled with record stores, vintage clothing, sketchbooks, and boba tea—an era of artistic discovery and identity.

After high school, I continued studying animation at California Institute of the Arts, the school founded by Disney. Immersing myself in cartoon and character-driven storytelling expanded my imagination and technical discipline. It was a place that encouraged bold vision and world-building.

Following graduation, I moved to New York City, chasing opportunity and creative momentum. But when the 2008 financial crisis hit, everything shifted. The instability forced me to reassess, and I eventually retreated to Las Vegas. The creative opportunities there were limited at the time, and while I have deep respect for the designers and artists who thrive in casino gaming and find stability and support for their families through that work, it wasn’t the right fit for me.

Ironically, it was in that quieter, more challenging chapter that I truly grew as an artist. With fewer opportunities, I had to create my own. I learned resilience, independence, and how to build from scarcity rather than abundance. Stability, home, and family became grounding forces—but so did self-reliance and artistic conviction.

Each place shaped me differently: California gave me foundation, New York gave me ambition, and Las Vegas gave me endurance. And together, they formed the artist I am today.

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?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. I have taken the road less traveled.

While living in Las Vegas, I survived police brutality and endured a long, painful legal battle in search of justice that ultimately never came. It was one of the most destabilizing chapters of my life. During that time, I met other survivors of police violence and families who had lost sons in senseless encounters. Listening to their stories reshaped me. It deepened my understanding of grief, accountability, and the weight of systemic failure.

In an unexpected turn, I found mentorship in a retired police officer who acknowledged that what happened to me was wrong. His support was deeply meaningful. He committed himself to education—teaching officers about safety, discretion, and community responsibility in Las Vegas. Through that experience, I came to understand something complex but essential: change is slow, justice can feel distant, yet there are people working quietly behind the scenes—leaders, reformers, and community advocates—committed to building better systems and stronger bonds.

Resilience became essential. Self-care, steadfast friendships, and family grounded me during moments when I felt silenced or unseen.

Art became my way of reclaiming my voice. When words failed and systems fell short, art allowed me to process, to speak, and to heal. It remains both my refuge and my form of advocacy.

I also found guidance from mentors—quiet freedom fighters among us—who modeled integrity and courage in everyday life. In the art world, I was shaped and supported by generous mentors, including the late Corny Cole and Vered Galor, along with my friends and creative community at Lark Galleries and curators and galleries in Los Angeles. Together, these influences reminded me that mentorship can come from many directions, often when we least expect it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a contemporary pop artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries throughout West Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Los Angeles holds an incredibly vibrant art community—expansive, diverse, and constantly evolving. While economic shifts have challenged galleries in recent years, the community continues to show up for artists and independent spaces in meaningful, sustaining ways.

My work blends bold visual language with emotional depth. I’m drawn to storytelling through image—pieces that feel playful at first glance yet reveal layered complexity beneath the surface. Resilience and vulnerability often move quietly through my compositions, shaping both subject and tone.

What I’m most proud of is that I never stopped. Through economic downturns, personal hardship, relocations, and industry shifts, I continued to create. I’ve built an authentic following and developed relationships with curators who genuinely support and believe in my work. That consistency—and the integrity behind it—means everything to me.

What sets me apart is lived experience. My work isn’t manufactured to follow trends; it’s rooted in survival, reflection, and a deep love for the creative process. I bring emotional honesty to contemporary pop aesthetics. I also value community deeply. There is real camaraderie among artists—a mutual support system that sustains us when things feel uncertain. Passion and devotion to the craft drive me more than anything else.

Art, for me, is not just a career—it’s a form of devotion.

Currently, I’m working on local mural projects, including one for a new restaurant opening in Chinatown, while developing a new series of work. Teaching keeps me engaged and inspired. Seeing the emerging talent of young filmmakers and artists rising around us fills me with hope—it’s energizing and deeply affirming to witness their creativity take shape.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I’ve been fortunate when it comes to mentorship. I never really had trouble finding mentors—in many ways, they found me. Some of the most meaningful guidance came from unlikely places, from people who saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself.

My first mentor at California Institute of the Arts, Corny Cole, had a profound impact on me. I was incredibly vulnerable in art school, still forming my identity as an artist. To this day, I light a candle for him in gratitude. When I visit the beach and watch the animation of water waves, I still think of those early lessons—about movement, observation, and patience.

If I could offer advice about mentorship and networking, it would be this: stay open and stay sincere. Show up with curiosity rather than agenda. The right mentors are often drawn to authenticity and dedication more than polish.

That said, I’m human. One of my ongoing challenges is logistics—I have ADHD, and I sometimes mix up dates or miss the art openings or gatherings. I’ve learned that networking isn’t just about events; it’s about genuine relationships. Consistency and follow-through matter, and I’m actively working on building better systems to support myself there (I joke that I might need a temporary secretary).

What has worked best for me is building real camaraderie with other artists. Community sustains you longer than a single opportunity ever will. Mentorship isn’t always formal—it can be a conversation, a shared studio day, or (most importantly) someone quietly reminding you that your voice matters.

Stay open. Stay grateful. Stay in the work.

Pricing:

• Custom commissioned works: Starting at $1,000 (pricing varies based on size and complexity) Limited edition prints: $75–$500 Select works are intentionally priced to remain accessible for new and emerging collectors

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cristinapaulos.art
• Instagram: @mirrortwins_art @crisitnapaulosart
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinanpaulos/
• Twitter: @cpaulosart
• Youtube: @cpaulos
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=gCERmig7gycOY-sqXnpU9A&utm_source=ishare&share_id=16C135F7-E499-48E4-950A-E97FBA6C25E6&secondary_source=nav_bar&primary_source=user_profile

Image Credits
Skin City Las Vegas, Bodypainting Project