A LITTLE ABOUT ME

Biography

Reena Tolentino "RT" is a Filipino American artist born in Downtown Los Angeles and currently based in the Bay Area. 

Her work is known for layered portraiture and mixed-media painting about memory, identity, resilience, and cultural symbolism. She has exhibited internationally, been featured in publications including Hypebeast and Art Scene Magazine, and spoken at Cambridge University on art as astro-wellness therapy. She was also recognized with the Woman of Worth Award for Arts and Entertainment. She earned a BA in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge, where her interests in communication, law, rhetoric, storytelling, and media shaped her creative perspective. Tolentino is also the founder of Arte Youth Program, a creative initiative supporting children through art and healing.

ABOUT MY PROCESS

My Work

"I am an artist known for layered portraiture and mixed-media painting that explores memory, identity, resilience, and cultural symbolism. Working in acrylic, oil pastel, and mixed media, I build each piece through successive portraits painted over one another, allowing one final image to emerge while earlier layers remain hidden beneath the surface. This process reflects themes of concealment, vulnerability, and emotional history. My vivid color palette often contrasts with subjects shaped by loss and mortality, creating a tension between beauty and grief."