Meet Christine Reana Santos | Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Reana Santos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine Reana, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“Ars longa, vita brevis.”

This is a quote from Hippocrates that is translated into Latin and it is one that has stuck around with me for the past few years. I absolutely love that there are different ways that this quote can be interpreted, but the most common one is “Art is long, life is short”. I learned about this quote when I was going through severe art block in high school where I struggled to create anything outside of my AP Studio Art class. If I managed to draw something, I always ended up disliking it and throwing it into the trash. This period of severe art block took a toll on me as an artist to the point where I contemplated continuing art, but coming across this quote was something I still consider to be a miracle.

I first stumbled upon the Latin translation of the quote through an Instagram post roughly six years ago when I was trying to find the slightest bit of inspiration. I thought the way the quote sounded was very intriguing, but it immediately resonated with me as soon as I looked up the English translation. It was as if a rush of motivation instantly hit me when I read the quote in English, taking me out of that headspace where I was struggling to think creatively. I started making art again soon after and continued developing my art style over the years. The way that I’ve interpreted Hippocrates’ writing expanded beyond one interpretation as I applied it to different areas within the arts, especially my own work.

Knowing that other people have their own analyses reflecting their thought processes influenced how I make art. My work before discovering this quote had little to no room for interpretation, but this changed in recent years as I interpreted this quote through different lenses. I wanted those viewing my work to analyze what they saw, to move the gears in their head and establish their own narrative outside of the one I created. Whether a piece’s theme is hidden or straightforward, I want to continue giving the viewer the freedom to interpret my work however they want to. This quote has heavily influenced my creative process over the years in more than one way. It guided me out of every artist’s worst nightmare and led me to a path that freed me from the creative restrictions that I enforced on my younger self. Such a short quote changed how I view the art of the present and the past, deepening my appreciation for the many artists who influenced the contemporary art movement and those who are contributing to the continuous growth of the field today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Having art as a casual hobby and pursuing it as a career was something I thought a lot about before I started college. I discovered my love and admiration for art when I was in elementary school and had dreams of being an artist, but my family only encouraged me to do it as a hobby. A lot of my immediate family work government and nursing jobs, so any career outside of that was frowned upon. I thought I would be majoring in medicine or political science at one point, giving up art because of how much time and dedication is needed for studying. My older brother’s decision to study culinary arts in college told me that I could major in art and have a career in the industry, but a part of me still doubted it. I spent a lot of time thinking about what to do in college and my love for art, but winning an award in 2019 gave me the final push to major in art when I applied for college. It gave me that last bit of hope and reassurance that I needed when it came to the thought of being a professional artist, and I am still happy with my decision to pursue art as a career.

As an illustrator, my art explores different concepts with every piece that I create. Whether it’s something I’m familiar with or completely unknown territory, I love exploring different styles of art and going out of my comfort zone. I find myself struggling to sit still and have my art focus on a specific field – it’s like a part of me just wants to draw/paint everything that piques my interest. Being surrounded by different media and having a love for art history has greatly influenced everything I make and I always make an effort to incorporate it into a new piece or even a quick doodle. I do focus my portfolio towards the industry jobs that I’m interest in, but outside of that, my work shows the different genres of art I’ve explored.

I ultimately strive to allow those viewing my work to come up with their own interpretation of what they see. A piece I create can depict a dedicated theme or have one that the eye cannot immediately detect. I want to allow the viewer to become engaged in analyzing what they see and to have them come up with own interpretations. From my own experience of viewing the work of other artists, the initial reading is always different in comparison to one where someone takes the time to absorb everything. I enjoy hearing the thought processes of those who look at my work and engaging in discussions with them, giving me a glimpse into their mind and how they connected with my work. Hearing someone’s perspective allows me to expand my own and see my work in a different light.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There’s a lot to explore in Los Angeles and that’s what I love about this city. I grew up in California my entire life and I personally think that I still have a lot to see.

Little Tokyo and Chinatown are some of my favorite places to go! These are some great places to visit if you want to explore some of the different districts in Downtown LA. You can do pretty much anything in Little Tokyo, ranging from buying cute trinkets and goods from Japan, enjoying a delicious meal at the local restaurants, or just walking around. My favorite go-to spots are the stores NekoStop, Kinokuniya, and Sora Gumi. These are the best stores to visit if you’re a fan of Japanese media/literature/stationery or collecting figures and video game merchandise.

Kouraku is a longtime favorite restaurant of mine that serves, in my opinion, the best Japanese comfort food in the entire district. They’ve been around for years and they close very late, so you can always drop by and grab something to eat if you’re in the area when every other restaurant is closed. Community events are also something that happen pretty often throughout the year, and I’ve always enjoyed myself every time I’ve attended one! You get the chance to interact with the people of the community, indulge in the district’s culture, and learn some new things. If you’re visiting Little Tokyo the same day a community event is happening, chances are that your visit will be extended by a few hours!

Chinatown’s food scene is something that I’ve appreciated ever since I first visited the neighborhood when I was a kid. Some of my favorite mom-and-pop restaurants have sadly shut down over the past few years, but there are some that are still around. Won Kok is a restaurant that’s been around for years and sells a variety of different Chinese cuisine. You can either sit down and order from their restaurant’s menu or you can order items like dim sum and pork buns to-go through their takeout window that’s outside of their restaurant. The prices here are very affordable, but I do recommend going here early because parking can be difficult and the line can get long! Long’s Family Bakery is another local business that sells items similar to Won Kok. They’re just a few minutes away from each other, so if you don’t want to wait in Won Kok’s long line, just walk down to the bakery and you’ll be able to get what you’re craving!

The neighborhood I grew up in fairly close to Burbank, which is roughly 10+ miles away from Downtown Los Angeles. If you’re a fan of cafes, there are a ton that can be found all throughout the city. My favorite cafe is The Ugly Mug Coffee House. The interior is cozy and has hints of nostalgia, the staff is incredibly sweet, and their coffee is worth the price. A lot of shopping can be done at the Burbank Town Center and in Downtown Burbank. There are a lot of restaurants and bars that make the city’s nightlife pretty active, especially when the weekend is coming up. Tours at studios like the Warner Bros. Studio are available throughout the year so you can schedule your tour any day and time you want. There’s more to explore in Burbank, but I highly recommend these places and activities if it’s your first visit or you’re simply just stopping by.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to my older brother, Christopher Ryan Santos.

He was the first child in our family to pursue a career in a field that completely contrasted the careers of our family. We grew up being told to work government or medical jobs, so his decision to be in the culinary arts changed how the younger generation of our family viewed their future careers. It reassured the younger members of our family that they don’t have to do the career that their parents want them to do and that they have their own free will to choose what career they want to do when they get older. Having a career in an industry that no one in our family worked in made them uncomfortable and even caused some backlash, but his decision motivated me to pursue art in college instead of something I knew I’d be unhappy with. If it weren’t for my older brother breaking the norms within our family, I know I would have given in to my parent’s wishes, followed the same career path as them, and given up art altogether.

My brother and I have continuously shown support for each other’s careers for many years, especially when we had moments where our family doubted that we were doing the right careers. If a piece didn’t meet my own standards or when a concept I came up with wasn’t executed in the way I wanted it to be done, he’s always there to help me avoid beating myself up over it. It doesn’t help that I’m my worst critic, but he somehow always finds the good in every piece I make and it’s usually something that I never notice myself. I’ve gone to him whenever I needed to continue elaborating on an idea I have or to simply just hear the opinion of someone who isn’t an artist. I truly appreciate that he’s one of the only family members with whom I feel safe expressing the concepts that come up at the most random times. He’s encouraged me countless times to explore different concepts/ideas that were completely out of my comfort zone, which I’m grateful for because I now incorporate what used to intimidate me into my current work.

I view my brother’s career field as one where art is created through food. With us being a part of industries that create art through different methods, the feedback he gives me is always a breath of fresh air in comparison to the critique I receive from those who work in the same area as me. It’s nice hearing critique from my peers, but hearing the opinion of an outsider transforms how I view my work. I tend to become too indulged in the working process that I lose perception of what my work currently looks like. Whatever I’m working on becomes a blur when I step away from it after hours of working and it results in me failing to see what changes need to be made. I cannot thank him enough for all of the support he’s shown me since I discovered my passion for art when we were kids.

Just like how he looks forward to what the future will bring for me, I’m always looking forward to his future endeavors as he continues his journey as a chef.

Website: https://boonanamilk.carrd.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boonanamilk_/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/christine-santos-a1686a201

Other: https://www.behance.net/christines_santos/