Hola and Howdy! My name is Blanca Estefania, and I am a Mexican illustrator living and working throughout the state of Texas.
I have always enjoyed drawing and painting and love the freedom of expression it gives. Body positivity and self-confidence are very important to me, so my work primarily centers around the female form. I love illustrating figures with confidence and beauty of all varieties.
I have a wonderful husband, an adorable daughter, a goofy dog, a quirky cat, and lots and lots of plants!
CV
Education
MFA | Present | Savannah College of Art and Design
Major: Illustration
BFA | 2018 | Sam Houston State University
Major: Studio Art
Concentration: 2-Dimensional Studio Art
AA | 2014 | McLennan Community College
Major: Visual Arts
Professional Experience
2022 July
Digital Artist, Deep in the Heart Film Festival - Waco, TX
2021 Sep. – 2022 Sep.
Graphics Artist, Restock Gaming - Remote
2020 Apr. – Aug.
Illustration Internship, The Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue - College Station, TX
2019 Apr. – 2020 Mar.
Newborn Photographer, Mom365 - Bryan, TX
2018 June
Summer Painting Instructor, Art Center of Waco - Waco, TX
2017 May – July
Gallery Worker, Sam Houston State University - Huntsville, TX
2015 – Present
Surface Designer, VIDA & CO. - San Francisco, CA
2013 – Present
Illustrator, Freelance - Remote
Select Exhibitions & Curatorial Projects
2019
Group - The Tiny Sketchbook Project, Brooklyn Art Library, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
2018
Solo - Arcana, Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Group - Sketchbooks on the Island, Governor’s Island – South Battery, New York, NY
Group - The Sketchbook Project 2018 Tour. Ponce City Market, Atlanta, GA | Hyde Park Arts Center, Chicago, IL | Historic Distillery District, Toronto, Canada | Brooklyn Art Library, Brooklyn, NY
Group - Studio Art, Photography, and Animation Senior Exhibition, Gaddis Geeslin Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Group - The Senior Preview Show, Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Group - Work from Students in Advanced Classes, Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Group - Black Canvas, Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
2017
Group - SAA Juried Show – Dream State, Lowman Student Center Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Curated - trEat Well Inc., (Co-Curator) Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Group - Choices, Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Group - The Human Form, The Cellar Wine Lounge and Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Curated - Selections from the University Collection, (Co-Curator) Lowman Student Center Gallery, Huntsville, TX
2016
Curated - Zeitgeist, Satellite Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Curated - Selections from the University Collection, (Co-Curator) Lowman Student Center Gallery, Huntsville, TX
Commissions
2022
Corporate, Japanese Tiger Patch, digital painting, Academy of Combat for European Martial Arts
Corporate, Casa Blanca + Waco Hippodrome, digital painting, Deep in the Heart Film Festival
Corporate, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman + Waco Suspension Bridge, digital painting, Deep in the Heart Film Festival
2018
Private, Monica + Kyle, digital photography, graduation photos
2017
Private, Corazon y Casa, medium-scale painting (3’ x 5’), oil on Masonite in an ornate frame
Private, Team Arrow, traditional illustration (9” x 12”), ink on paper
Corporate, Knightly Valor, medium-scale painting (4’ x4’), oil on Masonite, Academy of Combat for European Martial Arts
2016
Private, New Life, medium-scale painting (4’ x 4’), oil on Masonite
2014
Private, Snared, traditional illustration (9” x 12”), colored pencils on paper
Publications
2022
"Deep in the Heart Film Festival Teams with Local Artists" KXXV 25, July 2022, https://www.kxxv.com/news/deep-in-the-heart-film-festival-teams-with-local-artists
“Blanca Dunwoody - Adult Entertainment Illustrator,” My Creative Life Vol. 1, June 2022, 54-57.
2020
“Meet Blanca Cardenas | Illustrator,” Shoutout HTX, December 2020, https://shoutouthtx.com/meet-blanca-cardenas-illustrator/
2019
"Blanca Cardenas, Illustrator" My Creative Life for Artists and Creators Podcast by Nancy So Miller (host), September 2019, https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MVLV2md9rOf6R3SUuAC7a?si=01848638e71a4da7
2018
“Meet Blanca E. Cardenas Barragan”, Voyage Houston, July 2018, http://voyagehouston.com/intereview/meet-blanca-e-cardenas-barragan/
“The Ties That Bind,” LINE WEBTOON (Canvas), June 2018, https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/the-ties-that-bind/list?title_no=190878
Honors and Awards
2018
Kenneth Zonker Endowment Scholarship – Honorable Mention, Sam Houston State University
2017
Faculty and Student Team (FAST) Grant – Inventorying collection for the art department at Sam Houston State University
Permanent Collections
2019
Public - The Tiny Sketchbook Project, Brooklyn Art Library, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
2018
Public - The Sketchbook Project 2018, Brooklyn Art Library, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY