Tina Salazar grew up on Houston’s East End with her mother who was a skilled seamstress and her father who was gifted at drawing.
“I got to see him work, and he’s just so very skilled with his hands, and I know that I got that from him,” said Salazar whose father was a draftsman. “My mother is very skilled at the sewing machine. She would make our clothes, mine and my brother’s clothes. So, I believe I did pick up those traits from them.”
Salazar seemingly was born to create, but for a period she thought she’d focus on fashion. While studying at the Art Institute of Houston, she shifted into painting and other artistic design.
That decision paid off as she was hired to paint murals, logos, and signs for large scale restaurant chains like Joe’s Crab Shack, Pappasito’s Cantina, and Mambo Seafood. She even painted gold around the crosses seen 100 feet off the ground in Houston’s Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown.
After losing her mother in 2017, Salazar shifted gears to focus on creating her own art.
She now owns and runs a shop called Latina Tina, housed in the Ironworks building. The reimagined industrial building on Milby Street includes more than two dozen local businesses. For Salazar, it’s a spot to showcase her creations and her heritage.
“I want people as they come in to be able to feel, you know, their Mexican roots, the Mexican culture, and to also see it with a modern twist on it, like pop art,” said Salazar.
Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is woven into several of Salazar’s designs.
“I believe she represents all of us Latinas or just people in general, because normally people go through things. They go through hard times,” Salazar said. Kahlo did as well she said, but “when she did, she did not put her brush down, she continued. And that actually made her made her very popular.”
Salazar’s business, whose logo is a tattoo her mother had, has grown. In addition to her retail store in Houston, she sells her art at Round Top, and through several online platforms, including Society6.
“Houston Life” is proud to launch a partnership with Society6 to spotlight local artists, like Salazar, and celebrate their creativity. You can see her work and other Houston artists now on society6.com/houstonlife. Bookmark the page, so you don’t miss any of the new artists added to the site each month.
For Salazar, having an outlet like Society6 to reach a broader audience while living and working in the neighborhood where she was raised are the perfect ways to spread her vibrant creative vision.
“It’s very meaningful to my heart, and it brings me back full circle, back to my stomping grounds, back to my roots, where I grew up as a little girl.”
About Society6
Society6 is home to a thriving community of independent artists worldwide, each with their own unique designs. Choose your favorite and pair it with our best-in-class selection of wall art, home decor, bed and bath, apparel, tech accessories, furniture and lifestyle goods for your everyday. Everything is made to order—and with so many styles to choose from, Society6 makes it easy to match your exact taste. Whether you’re looking for art prints, tapestries, throw pillows, comforters, shower curtains, T Shirts or iPhone cases—we’ve truly got something for everyone.
Need more proof? We’ve got everything from minimalist wall art to beautiful original photography. Find all the trending home decor styles like rustic, modern, patterns and more so you can make every room in your home from the bathroom to the bedroom to the kitchen feel uniquely you. You can even take your aesthetic to your wardrobe with our array of apparel and bags. Plus, every Society6 purchase pays an artist—empowering creativity around the world.