Starslikelullabies - Cristal

I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with an incredible Puerto Rican artist whose work blends fantasy, realism, and a whole lot of cuteness. She’s 100% Boricua—born and raised—and that cultural richness shines through her art. Her childhood was spent with a grandmother who loved gardening and animals, and that connection to nature and warmth definitely lives on in her paintings. Growing up in upstate New York. Her early years were spent alone either outside or inside drawing.

Her style today is a dreamy mix of fantasy and realism, and she’s currently exploring pop surrealism as well. "My favorite piece so far is my oil painting “In My Room”! I was inspired by Julia Wolf’s song with the same title. Originally I wanted to make a piece that made me feel like I was challenging myself, to create a piece outside of what I usually make… like hey, why don’t I paint myself as a Blythe doll, give myself tattoos and piercings (which i don’t have yet), and paint things i would want in my room! It’s funny because I was like “okay you have to be a serious artist” but… no lol, I wanted to have fun with it. That painting will forever inspire me to make more pieces outside of my comfort zone."

She’s been creating for most of her life but has been taking art seriously for the past five years. During that time, she’s experimented with many mediums which include painting, drawing and handmade charms and keychains.

One of the most charming things about her recent work is the appearance of original bunny characters. These sweet, soulful little creatures were inspired by Yoshitomo Nara and Aya Takano. Each bunny feels like a tiny piece of her—a reflection of her moods, dreams, and need for escapism. They sleep, listen to music, and vibe in their own little worlds, just like she once did (and still does).

One of her upcoming projects center around her Blythe doll painting series and a zine called Born to Be Blythe. The zine will showcase her unique take on Blythe dolls, each with their own personality revealed through the items they'd carry. "My main inspiration comes from the “what’s in my bag” trend that I've been seeing on social media. I’m still brainstorming it but I think it will be a fun process getting all these ideas together!" You can keep up with Cristal's art on social media and you can shop we work on her website at www.starslikelullabies.com/

Kuma.Kute - Joanna

A couple years ago I came across a video on tik tok that completely stopped me in my tracks. It was a video of a Mexican themed Rilakkuma collection. The user behind the collection was none other than Joanna aka @Kuma.Kute. She has gone viral several times on tik tok for her curated kuma collection and is well known amongst the online kuma collecting community. When asking Joanna how her collection got started this is what she had to say "I’ve always loved Rilakkuma since I was little but I started collecting during Covid. I found the Rilakkuma Mexican pair on Pinterest and it was the first collection I HAD to complete. I made a post on the Facebook Rila group and it garnered a lot of attention. Someone told me they had just sold the pair to Marybear, so I emailed her and bought them immediately!"

The Korilakkuma Mexican plush in specific also had a striking resemblance to the dress Joanna would wear when taking traditional Mexican dancing classes. "I was forced to dance at 12 but I ended up loving it! It’s why I loved my Mexican Kori so much because it reminded me of when I used to dance (and plan to dance again soon). It’s actually how I met my husband! It’s my passion and it helped me learn a lot about Mexican culture especially being born and raised in the U.S."

I was especially interested to get on her opinion on why there seems to be such a huge overlap with the Latina community and the Rilakkuma fandom. "I noticed once I posted my Mexican collection on TikTok. I’m friends with so many Latino collectors and I seriously think it’s because Mexico has a long history with kawaii and anime culture. My aunt used to make me watch CandyCandy with her and my mom would talk about Hello Kitties popularity in Mexico when she was young."

At Joanna's website crochetkuma.com you can find her shop where she sells rare Rilakkuma merch imported from Japan along with her handmade crochet goods! Her crochet work includes different plushies, bouquets, and accessories in the sweetest pastel colors. She's even crocheted a version of the ultra rare Korilakkuma and Chairoikoguma Cherry Plush (iykyk). 

Beaugrimebaby - Johana & Jose

Meet Johana and Jose, the sibling duo behind Beaugrimebaby. I first came across their work on my Instagram explore page and immediately hit the follow button. A few weeks ago, when visiting the Little Tokyo Flea Market for the first time, I came across the Beaugrimebaby booth and was ecstatic to see their work irl! I waited patiently at their booth, as it was attracting a huge crowd. I bought some prints, introduced myself to Johana, and asked her if she'd be down to be featured in the very first Kawaii y Latina post. It felt like fate to unexpectedly run into one of the artists I had a list of people I wanted to interview I created before setting up this blog. Below is said interview with Johana and Jose along with some images of their amazing work. <3

 I see that you have Latino roots? From where? And has that affected your art in any way?

My family is from Orizaba, Veracruz. our culture and background has absolutely affected

our art. We like to be very vocal about the social issues of our community and we are not

afraid to convey that with our art. We also like to take inspiration from our childhood and

experiences growing up. From the food our mom prepares for us, to the music we listen

and sing along to, in English and Spanish, we like to showcase our roots and history in

our work.

How did you get into making art and how would you describe your art style?

My brother (Jose) and I (Johana) created Beaugrimebaby as a way to share our art and

ideas. I have always loved fashion but we weren’t always able to afford the things we

liked. We created Beaugrimebaby as a way for people to find creative and fun clothes and

accessories that is both affordable and good quality.

Jose has been a very talented and creative individual since he was a child. He and I work

together to create fun and thoughtful designs. Our style is definitely inspired by anime,

alternative art and fashion, music, goth and punk culture, and our Hispanics/latin culture.

The art style has a more colorful and playful feel to it but is still very intentional and

important to us.

What inspires you? Is there anything specific that influences your work?

Our art is definitely inspired by the things we consume and enjoy. You’ll find some of our

favorite shows, characters, music, and references in our designs. Some of my favorite

fashion designers are Vivienne Westwood and Betsey Johnson.

I first came across your work when I saw your Bag Girl collection online, how did that

series of drawings get started?

We are huge fans of trinkets and collecting keychains and small wearable art. We like

showing our interest through our fashion and what we wear. But we know not everyone

can afford to have dozens of trinkets and keychains or that vintage/expensive bag. So

why not make it so anyone and everyone can have their own trinket bag!?

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about?

We are constantly working on new products and possible collaborations. Right now, I am

working on a new collection of handmade bags and new clothing designs. We are also working

on expanding our clothing size ranges to include bigger sizes for all our clothing and

accessories.

Welcome to the Kawaii y Latina Community!

Welcome to Kawaii y Latina! 🎀✨🌸

Hola, and welcome to Kawaii y Latina! Kawaii y Latina is an archive of media, art, and inspirations that celebrate the fusion of these two cultures. I look forward to this being a digital place explore, create, and connect with a growing community. This is a project that is so personal to me and I am so excited to pour my energy into this and share it with you.

If you feel connected in any way to take part in this project, whether that be submitting your creations, your style or wanting to write for the blog, please reach out! 

Stay tuned for more! 💖