Digital Art Teacher by Day, Freelance Designer by Night

Is this how a superhero feels like?

About Me

Hi, I’m Michelle Martinez—a Chicago creative with too many ongoing ideas in my brain and not enough wall space for all the photos I love. By day, I teach digital art and photography to high schoolers who keep me sharp, sassy, and sarcastic. By night, I’m a freelance designer turning artistic chaos into sleek visuals and camera magic.

My artwork is a vibrant blend of cultural heritage, personal narrative, and place—rooted in my identity as a Latina and shaped by the rich textures of Chicago’s landmarks, neighborhoods, and natural spaces.

As an art educator, I believe in guiding students to discover the “how” behind their creative decisions—emphasizing process over product and encouraging curiosity, experimentation, and reflection. My role is not to dictate outcomes, but to support each learner’s journey by nurturing technical fluency, critical thinking, and artistic voice. I see teaching as an extension of my own practice: a space where creating is just as important as questioning, and where art is not just something we make—but something we find in the making.