My name is Alinda Saintval I was born November 20, 1996 (22) in Delray Beach, Florida. My younger sister and I are daughters to Haitian parents and raised in Florida by a single mother. I am a self-taught artist and have been creating since 2012. In 2016, I changed my major of study at the University of Florida to Visual Arts, and am receiving my Bachelors of Arts with an emphasis in two-dimensional work. I have been published in school newspapers and school magazines for my work and for launching a small business painting backpacks from my dorm. My art style focuses on the colorful portraits of African American women in patterned head wraps and their natural hair. I strive to spotlight the beauty of women of color and their attributes in my paintings. Hence, my Duende line of backpacks, which allows people to walk around with their own unique expression.
I was originally inspired to do art from my older cousin who had been doing art for a long time. He encouraged me in pursuing and bettering my craft by getting me my first sketchbook and drawing pencils. I picked up a paint brush soon after that and fell in love with painting and have
been painting ever since.
Below are the websites/publications I have been featured in:
https://www.alligator.org/news/campus/uf-student-turning-backpack-painting-hobby-into-business/article_d318a04a-9024-11e6-bab9-9bf01ccaf907.html
https://publications.clas.ufl.edu/ytori-magazine/ytori-spring-2017/creating-a-dorm-room-business-alinda-saintval/
https://issuu.com/dinner.noshow/docs/dinner_noshow_print (page 133)