Cristina Medrano is a multimedia artist from San Francisco who currently works as a painter and digital illustrator. Her first art teachers were the catalog of how-to-draw books in the Excelsior Public Library, and she is a strong believer in early public access to arts education. Her current inspirations include the magic of plants, the many facets of her Salvadoran heritage, and the glamour and bravery of her queer community.

Much of her work is themed around generational trauma and resilience. She is invested in creating a visual language to explore difficult experiences like grief, and in alchemizing pain into growth.

Photo by Yasmina Mattison