Artwork copyright Christie Tirado. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Christie Tirado. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Yakima Valley Photography, 2021.

Artwork copyright Christie Tirado. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Yakima Valley Photography, 2021.

El Salmón (Pink), 2017

Christie Tirado
(Mexican American, born 1990)

Location: Ridgeview Elementary, Yakima

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Christie Tirado’s ‘El Salmón (Pink)’ is based on the style of the classic and iconic Mexican game of “Loteria.” Tirado has replaced the traditional card imagery with a Northwest symbol: the salmon, which is an important fish in the culture and history of Washington State. The artwork represents some of Tirado's own story as a Mexican-American artist, as well as the story of the large Hispanic population living and working in Central Washington.

This artwork is part of a curated collection by Cozette Phillips in April 2021 at Ridgeview Elementary, in Yakima, Central Washington. Phillips worked with the local art selection committee, who wanted art that reflects their farming communities, their relationship with nature, and the largely Hispanic student body. The artworks are soothing and peaceful for a community that works hard.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Yakima School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist and art teacher Christie Tirado creates prints and drawings that explore Mexican-American heritage and identity. Her art also focuses on the life of Mexican migrant farmworkers, who often go unheard, unseen, and underappreciated. Tirado wants her prints to spark conversations about the realities of the labor carried out by America’s essential workers, and their value and contributions to Washington State and to the nation’s overall economy. She is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico.

Tirado earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in 2013 and a Masters in Teaching degree from Heritage University in 2016. She teaches art to elementary and middle school students in the Yakima Valley, Central Washington.