I'm Christiana. I'm a fourth-generation Washingtonian with roots in Tennessee, Illinois and Cuba. My family moved to Texas when I was 9, I spent 7 years in Los Angeles after art school, and 3 years in Japan before returning to DC in 2007.

I am a visual storyteller. Whether I am holding a camera or a Wacom tablet pen, my primary tools are an adherence to simple, functional design, an affinity for bold, eye-catching graphics, and a love of narrative expression.

I've had a creative hand in a broad range of projects, including websites for Shania Twain, Marilyn Manson's toy line and the (thankfully) short-lived Conan TV show. I’ve written, directed and animated shorts for AtomFilms and Microsoft. I’ve created characters for video games and animated shorts and once remained unbeaten for nearly 45 minutes straight on Soul Calibur at E3.

I’ve won an Honorary Mention from Communications Arts and had two websites named “Site of the Day" by Macromedia. I’ve had numerous photographs published in newspapers, magazines and on websites. I even won the logo design contest for a local Japanese junior high school.

I’ve been chased by monkeys on a bike trail, walked Shigeru Mizuki’s Monster Road, and taught English to over 1000 schoolchildren in Japan. I’ve presented about Japanese school life and culture to student ambassadors and, most notably, at Capitol Pecha Kucha.

I’ve taught English and life skills to Spanish-speaking immigrants through Language ETC and I currently volunteer as a photography instructor at Sitar Arts Center.

I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, magna cum laude from Howard University in 1997. I’ve also studied life drawing at the Corcoran, drawing for animation with Glenn Vilppu, and Japanese at UCLA.

I enjoy growing and cooking my own food, swimming, cycling, and movies. I’m fascinated by culture and language and their influence on self-identity and speak English, Japanese and Spanish in varying degrees of fluency.

You can follow me on Twitter, email me here or connect with me on Facebook.