Christina Ortega – B.F.A. in Fine Arts.

My love for drawing and painting began very early on when I was three and took it upon myself to “decorate” the pages of my mom’s treasured Betty Crocker cookbook with an elaborate farm scene. Instead of being angry with me, she recognized the detail and complexity of my drawings and encouraged me to continue drawing (just not in her cookbooks.)

Throughout high school and early college, I taught in various elementary afterschool programs, often incorporating art projects into their curriculum. I studied Traditional Illustration at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and graduated with a BFA. I intended to pursue a career in Children’s Book Illustration but the call to teaching led me to teach at a private classical art school for kids, teens, and adults. My husband and I moved back home to San Diego, CA where I continued teaching art at various art programs and schools. I developed several workshops for these schools including: watercolor painting, sculpture, cartooning, basic animation, and mosaics. 

My husband’s job led us to Austin, TX where we have raised our family. I took a break from teaching art but continued to pursue freelance fine art and illustration projects. Though I wasn’t teaching art, I was still teaching in a different field: Yoga. I’ve taught all ages from preschoolers to seniors, and everyone in between. 

Drawing and painting in all forms, has been my constant throughout my life and teaching, whether that be Art or Yoga, has always been my heart’s calling. I love guiding people and witnessing their realization that they have all they need already within them. 

When I am not teaching or painting, I love to hang out with my husband and two awesome kids, watching Studio Ghibli movies and the Great British Baking Show.