210-391-8463
KRISTEL A.
ORTA-PUENTE PHOTOGRAPHY
Kristel A. Orta-Puente is a San Antonio professional photographer, artist and community historian who specializes in multiple genres including event photography, ethnographic photography, commercial photography, runway shoots, fashion and conceptual art.
SERVICES
As an experienced artist and photographer, Kristel A Orta-Puente has been providing a variety of services to their wide range of clients. Providing professional photography skills with the ability to use creativity in an innovative way allow for more inventiveness for both commercial work and the avante garde. Being accomplished as a professional artist as well as a trained professional photographer requires an unusual set of skills that allow for the confidence that nothing is impossible in the world of creativity. Both our professional and artistic work is limitless.
Event Photography
Galas, Conferences, and Social Occasions
Portrait Sessions
Personal, Print and Professional
Ethnographic
Historcial and Documentary
Headshots
Professional and Personal
Commercial
Architecture, Product and Artwork
Runway
Print and Fashion
Conceptual
Avante Garde and Artistic
RASQUACHIC
Fashion Artist
CURRICULUM
VITAE
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a professional photographer and artist living and working in San Antonio. I specialize in commercial/concept photography and installation art. My work is mainly composed of several areas of personal interest that I draw from that include San Antonio history, civil rights issues, San Antonio culture, gender studies, rasquacha, feminism, fashion and cultural appropriation. My work has grown over the last four years from focusing on commercial work to evolving into art and concept photography as well.
EDUCATION
Professional Statement
As a community historian, I intend to study, document, analyze, and catalog and preserve the history of San Antonio, Texas. Through photography, digital media and art as methodology, I will track the city’s historical and artistic expressions, departing from a gendered analysis framed on rasquacha and domesticana sensibilities, so as to understand the ways in which feminism has influenced fashion, activism, and cultural appropriation in the context of San Antonio’s culture and civil rights. Overall, I endeavor to generate a historiographic narrative that voices and illustrates Mexican American experiences and how these have shaped San Antonio.
Ethnographic
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Historical documentation and Photography-Esperanza Peace and Justice Center-FotoHistorias En Aquellos Tiempos featuring community photos from 1890-1940’s. Documenting oral histories, curating and maintaining outdoor photo installation in the historic West Side of San Antonio –documenting cultural programming for archival purposes. San Antonio, Texas. 2017
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Photography- Dr. Ellen Riojas Clark photographing, documenting, and cataloging for three separate books Hupiles, Rebozos, and The Encyclopedia of Pan Dulce. San Antonio, Texas 2015
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Director of Film and Photography- with Dr. Ruben Cordova and Daniel Gonzalez of Mel Casas Exhibitions Humanscape Series 1-4. San Antonio, Texas 2015
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Photography of The Alamo de Valero. The Alamo San Antonio, Texas. 2012
This is your Projects Section closing paragraph. It's a great space to summarize the kind of work you do and invite your visitors to contact you to start working with you on a new project.
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commercial
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Scent Chips-Video Production and Photography. San Antonio, Texas. 2017
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MAUC 50th Anniversary 2017. San Antonio, Texas. 2017
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LiftFund Commercial Photography. San Antonio, Texas. 2017
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SAAHJ Scholarship Dinner. San Antonio, Texas. 2016
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Yelp National Conference. San Antonio, Texas. 2016
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Keith Zars Pools: residential and commercial pools. San Antonio, Texas 2015
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Express News/Hearst Publishers The Express News 150 Anniversary Celebration. Alamo grounds. San Antonio, Texas 2015
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The National Hispanic Journalist 3-day Conference and Gala. San Antonio, Texas. The Henry B. Convention Center. San Antonio, Texas. 2014
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Univision Feria De Education. The University of Texas. San Antonio, Texas 2014
Exhibitions
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“Rasquachisme in my She-Shed. An Ode to Rasquachismo” Small Scale. Say Si, . San Antonio, Texas. 2019
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“Kan Xib Chacc Mask of Kabah: The Path to the Puente” The Day of the Dead in Art. Curated by Dr. Ruben Cordova. Centro De Artes, San Antonio, Texas. 2019
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Contributor to “Tejana Rasquacha” with Mari Barrera. Photo series-Cardenas, Teatro Corazones, Valentina Quince. Luminaria, San Antonio, Texas, Fall. 2019
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“Day of the Dead Altar-The Reckoning” in conjunction with Mexican American Studies Student Organization. Curated by Keli Rosa Cabunoc Romero. Centro Cultural de Aztlán Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas 2019
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“Barrio Baroque,” Creative Director, Runway En La Calle curated by Designer Agosto Cuellar. Luminaria, San Antonio, Texas, Fall. 2018
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“Tamales Animales,” Creative Director Runway En La Calle curated by Designer Agosto Cuellar. Una Noche De Gloria. San Antonio, Texas. 2018
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“Jive Refried in the West” and “Rasquachismo-Booklet” 10,000 Years of Love and Resistance curated by David Zamora Casas. Biehl Haus Arts. San Antonio, Texas. 2018
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“1902 The Story of Pilar- A Lost San Antonio Heroine” Common Currents 300 years-300 artist 1868- 1917. Curated by the San Antonio Community. The Progresso Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas. 2018
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“Heroes of Texas Slavery” The Other Side of the Alamo curated by Dr. Ruben Cordova. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, San Antonio, Texas. 2018
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“Fuck Trump” “The Disambiguation of the Introverted Megalomaniac” Images of Power curated by Alana Coates and Mark Anthony Martinez. Freight Gallery. San Antonio, Texas 2018
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“Chola Bag by Rasquachic” and “Chola Sign by Rasquachic,” Small Scale, . Say Si, . San Antonio, Texas. 2018
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“Chola Series 1-3” Very Broad curated by Jessica Garcia. Invisible Gallery & R Space. San Antonio, Texas. 2018
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“Rasquachismo” Runway En La Calle curated by Agosto Cuellar. Una Noche De Gloria. San Antonio, Texas. 2017
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“Jive Refried in the West Side: Artist Agosto Cuellar” Multiples Curator. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas 2017
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“A View of Our Own Reality” Frida Fest Curator in collaboration Fred Anthony Garza, Jan McClinche and the Frida Estate. San Antonio, Texas 2017
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“Chola” Artist Lab curated by Mark Anthony Martinez. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas 2016
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“Keep SA Lamé” Runway En La Calle curated by Agosto Cuellar. Una Noche de Gloria. San Antonio, Texas. 2017
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“Fuck Trump” Foto-Bomb curated by Kayla Mata. Pan Dulce Gallery. San Antonio, Texas 2016
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“Day of the Dead Altar” Muertos Fest curated by Mark Anthony Martinez. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas 2016
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“The Disambiguation of the Introverted Megalomaniac.” Women Who Dare Curated by Anel Flores and Sarah Castillo, The Carver Cultural Center. San Antonio, Texas 2015
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“Roots: Portrait Series.” A Tribute to Women curated by Anel Flores and Sarah Castillo The Carver Cultural Center. San Antonio, Texas 2015
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“Stress Relief.” The Color of Blind, VIA Metropolitan Transit Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Grand, San Antonio, Texas 2015
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“Stress Relief.” The Color of Blind curated by Kristel A Puente and Trina Bacon. Brick, San Antonio, Texas 2015
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“Bloodsport. Every Artist is a Cannibal.” Art at the Jalapeno curated by The Art at the Jalapeno Group. Highwire Arts, San Antonio, Texas 2014
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“Dos Fabians.” Lady Base Gallery Curated by Sarah Castillo. Lady Base Gallery, San Antonio, Texas 2014
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“Remember the Plazmo.” Remember the Plazamo Curated by Louie Chavez. Plazamo Gallery, San Antonio, Texas 2014
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“Huitzilopochtli Series” Bare Naked” curated by Trina Bacon and Kristel Puente. Brick, San Antonio, Texas 2014
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“La Cabrona. Self Portrait 1. Emancipation of THE MAN.” Art at the Jalapeno Curated by The Art at the Jalapeno Group. Highwire Arts, San Antonio, Texas 2014
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“Art Lives On The Corner of S. Presa and Jacobs.” Somos San Antonio Villa Finale, San Antonio 2014
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“Tactile Photos” The Color of Blind. The Mercury Project. San Antonio, Texas 2014
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“Late Night at Polly’s Series.” Photos in Translation Curated by Trina Bacon and Kristel Puente Zaza Gardens, San Antonio, Texas 2013
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“Tactile Photos.” The Color of Blind Zaza Gardens, San Antonio, Texas 2013
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“Electric, Junk, Love Series.” Electric, Junk, Love” Curated by Leandra Hernandez, San Antonio, Texas 2013
awards and Education
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2021 - 2025 Ph.D U.S. History Southern Methodist University, Moody Graduate Fellow (2021-2025)
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2019 - 2021 MA U.S. History University of Texas at San Antonio, Nau Graduate Fellow (2019-2021)
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2019 BA Mexican American Studies with a concentration in History. Highest Departmental Honors—Magna Cum Laude Bicultural-Bilingual Studies Department, College of Human Development and Education, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
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2015 - 2017 AA Photography San Antonio College, Alamo Colleges
Awards:
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2021 - 2025 The Moody Graduate Fellowship, Southern Methodist University.
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2020 - 2021 The Nau Teaching Assistantship, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
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Fall 2020 Intern: Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas2019 - 2020 The Nau Graduate Fellowship for History, University of Texas at San Antonio.
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2018 - 2019 Mellon Undergraduate Humanities Pathways Fellow.
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Spring 2019 Second Place Digital Media Category for “Tamales Animales” Video, College of Liberal and Fine Arts 19th Annual Spring Research Conference.
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The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Artist Lab Fellowship Artist Development Program funded by the Surdna Foundation San Antonio. Texas. 2016
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Honorable Mention Art at The Jalapeno for work titled The Emancipation of The Man 2014
