BIOGRAPHY

     Victoria Celiana Santiesteban was born in Baltimore, Maryland to a mixed African American and Cuban Immigrant family. Both sides of the family have the arts running through their veins, ranging from upholstery, painting, singing, and playing instruments. From childhood Santiesteban had a small interest in the arts but it wasn’t until her high school art teacher, Ms. Mandy Cooper, pushed her abilities further did the consuming need to create manifest within Santiesteban.

     After a brief major in Physics that led to additional debilitating strain on her mental health, Santiesteban switched to a Bachelor of Arts at George Mason University. At George Mason Santiesteban was privileged to take multiple advanced painting classes with Professor Chawky Frenn, where through his teachings she was able to break free from copying what she saw to expressing what she saw through colors.

     Color has now become a staple in her artwork, with dynamic color choices and an abundance in the number of colors used within the oil paintings. Santiesteban started to cultivate both her detailed realism and detailed abstract paintings, eventually mixing the two styles. In these classes Santiesteban learned the importance of “the fire in the belly”, making art that fires something deep within. She has found that fire in giving a “F*** you” to oppressors, with works taking a range of stances from police brutality to the censorship placed on artists within the University.

     As Santiesteban emerges from university she plans to submit her works to show in local exhibits and galleries, and to have the future opportunity to have a permanent collection within a museum.