AMA+UTA CREATE COLLAB photo essay by Martina Medina explores the everyday art of lash extensions

“I believe that art is in almost everything that we do. We see it in our day to day lives and don’t even realize it.”

THE ART OF LASH EXTENSIONS

ABOUT MY PHOTO ESSAY
by Martina Medina

I created this photo essay to show off a different form of art and highlight a small local business. The beauty in lash extensions and creating lash sets on clients is an amazing thing to watch someone create. I was lucky enough to shadow Francine Alcantar with one of her returning clients and photograph her technique. She created a beautiful set of lashes, and I was able to see the entire process.

I believe that art is in almost everything that we do, we see it in our day to day lives and don’t even realize it. I wanted to show just a little bit of the art that you can spot even as you do a daily routine. Everyone who comes into Francine’s home walks out with a new set of lash extensions that visibly changes the appearance of those who get them. The lashes she does need to be specifically catered to all her clients’ natural eyelashes in order to accentuate their natural beauty. The definition of art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,” this to me sounds like exactly what the application of lashes is. Francine’s individual techniques catered to her clients is almost like an artist with their paint brush using different brushes to get each paint stroke on a canvas. She is a hard-working entrepreneur and mom all at the same time and I think that is also something incredibly inspirational. She spends her days creating beautiful art and brightening her client’s day along with caring for her two young children.

I showcased the process of lash application because I wanted to give people a little more perspective into something they might not have even realized is art. And I’m hoping this would allow people to see other unique work and appreciate the skill and beauty it takes to create it.

Meet Martina Medina

Martina is a senior at the University of Texas at Arlington. She will be graduating in May of 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a minor in Spanish for Global Competence. With her studies, she will also be receiving a certification in Digital Media upon graduating. She will be the first college graduate in her family and hopes to bring awareness to the Latino community with her work in media.

With her writing, she would like to inspire other first-gen college students to continue working hard to achieve their goals and help guide them in the right direction. In her free time, Martina enjoys re-watching The Office for the millionth time and going to the gym to clear her mind from work and school.

About AMA-UTA CreateCollab

Throughout the Spring 2023 semester, the Arlington Museum of Art is partnering with The University of Texas at Arlington and a senior-level digital storytelling class to explore a wide variety of contemporary themes inspired by the museum’s mission, values, and exhibitions.

Class projects include photo essays, one-minute documentaries, and one-minute podcasts about themes as broad as sword fighting with light sabers, fulfilling family legacies, every day heroes, and modern metalsmithing.

Associate Professor of Communication Erika Pribanic-Smith, who teaches the class, values opportunities to bring real-world experiences to her students.

“My goal is to give my students real-world experience in all of my classes, creating real stories using real sources,” said Dr. Pribanic-Smith. “Creating stories that will be published for the public to see, not just submitted for a grade, gives students extra incentive to put forth their best effort. Furthermore, working with professionals gives the students another layer of feedback to re-enforce what they’re learning in the classroom. I prefer to work with organizations like the Arlington Museum of Art who will benefit in some way from the students’ content so that we are providing a service to the community.”