I am
A woman who is uncomfortable behind closed doors but courageous when I open them.

What is your cultural background?
Filipino – American

In terms of ethnicity / culture / identity how would you describe yourself?
A complete mix up of Filipino, Spanish, Irish, and French blood running through my veins.

What aspects of your culture are most important to you?
Respect and tradition. How we address each other showcases that. I was raised to address older females as ate “ateh” before saying their name and older males as kuya “khoo-ya” before saying their name to show a sign of respect. Ate means sister and kuya means brother.

Has your cultural background influenced your life/ and or work – hobbies? And if it did could you give some examples?
Absolutely. In my culture we’re groomed to conform and obey to our parents expectations of us. Early on in life I was told my life purpose was to become a nurse because there are so many Filipinos in the medical field. I chose to defy that and you see that in my work/ project of empowering other women/ young girls to retain their wildness and pursue their own purpose.

In what language do you dream?
Art and love. Period.

Earliest Memory?
I was raised by my father. I never met my mother until recently and I remembered my father kept photo albums of my mother hidden at the very top shelf in the closet. I was banned from ever seeing them. My father was sleeping and I was 7 or 8 when I pulled up a chair and finally was able to reach the albums. When I finally saw her photos I thought my mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw…so graceful, her eyes smiled, and she was laughing in most of the photos. I think that’s why I’m in love with capturing women. We are beautiful and powerful creatures.

Growing up you …
Felt weird, didn’t belong, always yearning, always looking out the window, full of curiosity, ambitious, and loved my solitude….I’m still this way but it’s easier to manage at this age.

What most people don’t know about you is…
The motive behind my work isn’t based on money or even the art its self, although art is very important, but I do it because I’m battling for the little girl inside that didn’t have a voice. Every time I work and create I take back what I lost.

Cannot live without?
Art and love. There is nothing else in this World that is more important.

What inspires you?
Women, colors, nature, architectural work, designers…I could go on but anything that breathes life into me.

Currently working on?
I’ve transitioned from my professional makeup artistry work into photography and design as well. This year I’ve dedicated my life to interviewing women and young girls to create these shoots that tells their stories and ideally empowers others. These stories resonates with a lot of women and young girls no matter culture, age, and size. The end result will be a new website that showcases photography, design, and makeup artistry work creating a new business which I will donate a percentage of my revenue to charities supporting women and young girls.

Best advice you’ve ever received?
“You don’t know, how do you know?” meaning we don’t know anything. The World is far better, more beautiful, more powerful, and more complex than our own standards or ways of thinking. You have to let go, take chances, and live.

What are you listening (music) to at the moment?
Kings of Leon “Manhattan”

If you ruled the world what would you do?
I know this has been said many times but I would end poverty.

Message to the world
Do not conform to this World. Do what you want as long as you keep people in tact…there are too many broken people in this World.

Where can people find you? (Venues / Web / Social media)
Instagram: christineqp, Hashtag: #christineqp, and site is still in the works                       www.christineqpadilla.com