Nadia Talamantez

Nadia Talamantez is a Southern California-based emerging artist specializing in oil painting and charcoal portraiture. Her work is motivated by her Latina identity and adoration for her family. Most recently, Nadia began transforming her family's nostalgic photos into contemporary paintings and drawings. In 2018, Nadia's charcoal portrait, "A Moment in Time," won first place in the United States Congressional Art Competition for the 36th Congressional District. This lifelike image was exhibited in the United States Capitol. In 2021, Nadia's series of miniature oil portraits, "Recuerdos," was virtually featured at the Adam D. Kamil Art Gallery. Today, Nadia expands on her Recuerdos series by making large-scale portraits of her family, using the funds she earned through the Russell Foundation Grant. Her work will be shared in the 2022 Studio Honors Exhibition for the University of California San Diego, as Nadia Talamantez is finishing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts with a minor in Educational Studies.