Creating art has sustained me all my life. Being inspired, imagining, and then physically giving form to my ideas is the most important thing I do and engages me in mind, body and spirit.
 
I continue to explore the expressive power of line through pastels and the bold, rich, sensuous screen-printing process. Recently I have started a stimulating and challenging exploration of mixed media, incorporating collage and various types of paper, wood, metal, and other materials to create a series of “bad girls” and gender fluid portraits.
 
I want my artwork to continue to incite and inspire, to contribute to the dialogue that celebrates and honors our Latinx creative, resilient, defiant, and loving spirit that keeps us moving on toward a socially just world.

Ester Hernandez (she/her) was born in California’s San Joaquin Valley to a Mexican farm worker family. The UC Berkeley graduate is an internationally acclaimed San Francisco-based visual artist. She is best known for her depiction of Latina/Native women through her pastels, prints and installations. Her work reflects social, political, ecological and spiritual themes.

Hernandez has had numerous national and international solo and group shows. Among others, her work is included in the permanent collections of the National Museum of American Art – Smithsonian; Library of Congress; Legion of Honor, San Francisco; National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago; Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, Mexico City; Museum of Contemporary Native Art, Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM; Victoria and Albert Museum, London.  Her artistic and personal archives are housed at Stanford University.