In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Avalanche worked with Spanish artist Cristina Del Hoyo to turn an Avalanche home sweater into a one-of-a-kind art piece that honors her background and Hispanic heritage.
Cristina Del Hoyo is a Denver based artist who is originally from Spain. Cristina was born in Malaga, Spain in 1986. As a teenager, she began exploring different artistic disciplines such as painting, photography and sculpture. When Cristina was 17, she moved to Granada, Spain to study fine arts. The artist received her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Granada, Spain, in 2009. After she graduated, she moved to Denver, CO and has been living there since then. Her art has been featured in exhibitions in Madrid, New York City, Denver, Paris and Milan.
The design is inspired by the vibrancy and resiliency of the Hispanic community. The diverse color palette symbolizes the rich history of Hispanic, Latin, and Chicano cultures. “While each hue stands distinct, they unite to form a dynamic mosaic—much like our community itself. This interplay of colors represents both our unique identities and our shared heritage, creating a visual metaphor for the contrast and support we offer one another,” Cristina said.
The back of the design features a sun, a symbol of connection to Earth and nature. “It represents life, warmth, and our intrinsic bond with the natural world,” Del Hoyo continued, “the additional spheres evoke the vastness of the cosmos, while the triangular elements reach beyond the material realm, hinting at our spiritual dimensions.”
Cristina used the jersey as a celebration of the multi-faceted identities of the Hispanic community. “I believe our differences make us stronger, enriching our communities and nurturing mutual understanding as we proudly celebrate our traditions with radiant enthusiasm,” Cristina explained, “[Our identity is] rooted in tradition yet ever-evolving, grounded in shared experiences yet aspiring towards greater heights.”
Cristina’s artwork is inspired by her personal experiences and is intended to be a bridge between the inside and outside worlds. In her early works, she explored the idea of conflict and raw emotions through the use of color and texture in her paintings. Now, she is interested in abstract shapes, geometry, minimalism and the intensity and power of color. Her works reflect the ideas of search for meaning, belonging, identity and the experience of human emotions.
You can find more of Cristina’s work on Instagram @cristinadelhoyo_art, or view her website at https://www.cristinadelhoyo.com.
