Martinique Pates

About the Artist

Martinique Pates is an artist as well as storyteller. In 2015, she earned her degree in Journalism at Columbia College Chicago, where she also took courses in visual culture, photo-journalism and visual journalism.  Originally, a Chicago native, she relocated to Baltimore in January 2016 for a job opportunity and has been there ever since. While trying to find her voice as a writer, she found herself exploring visual art with the usage of acrylic paint. Throughout her life, drawing has always been in the background. It wasn't until recently she decided she wanted to use not only her writing but her visual art to change the narrative for the people of color. For the past 5 months, her art has been displayed in a local gallery called, The Sand Gallery, in downtown Baltimore. 

Artist's Statement

As a woman of color, Martinique has dedicated much of her work to the healing of her community. Through poetry, narrative writing and visual art, she challenges the status quo by depicting black culture in a positive light. Most of her work is intended to humanize people of color with exhibiting vulnerability as well as authenticity.