SSF 2016 FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST MELISSA MARTINEZ

SSF 2016 Featured Visual Artist Melissa Martinez

Melissa Martinez is a Miami native with a passion for the action packed fictional universe of comic book illustrations. Her upbringing in an urban and energetic city by Cuban parents has helped encourage a fusion of color and life into her interpretation of your favorite childhood characters. Heavily influenced by artists such as Boris Vallejo, Brian Bolland and Arthur Adams she is an X-men and Doctor Who fanatic still residing in South Florida.

Deborah Magdalena

Whether she's hosting a spoken word event, music festival, or playing the role of a santera or vixen, Deborah Magdalena makes every emotion super real. This performance artist has acquired impressive TV & Film credits for the past twenty years including Sesame Street (CTW), Apollo Comedy Hour (Tribune Entertainment), Safe Harbor (Warner Brothers), Striptease (Castle Rock), Holyman (Caravan), and For Love or Country (HBO). As a published spoken word artist Deborah has released three CDs, a chapbook, and the spoken word musical FUNKdalena. As an artist-activist she’s the founder of Spoken Soul Festival, a twelve year old, three-day festival that helps women artists go from novice to professionals. As an educator Deborah for the past eight years has led in-school presentations in numerous high schools for the National YoungArts Foundation, is the co-founder of Piano Slam, and led various workshops for local art organizations like Miami Light Project and Institute of Contemporary Art Miami. Most recently and for the seventh year in a row, she was invited by the Arsht Center and Ailey Arts & Education Foundation to serve as the Creative Communication instructor for Ailey Camp Miami.