MuXerHTX is an all-female artist collective from Houston, Texas. Our mission is to provide a platform for artistic expression in all communities and cultures. We place a strong emphasis on promoting the work of female artists, who are often underrepresented in the art world by creating a space where they can collaborate, learn from each other, and support one another. We also create opportunities for collaboration by organizing artistic festivals, exhibitions, workshops, and other events. Some of our signature events include the Frida Festival, Dia de Muertos Festival, and Xingona.
Lizbeth Ortiz
Ms. Ortiz graduated from the High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX, and attended the Pratt Institute in New York. In 2005, along with a community of inspired artists, Ms. Ortiz organized the first Frida Festival. In 2010 she opened East End Studio Gallery, along with Iris Contreras, where they grew the Frida Festival to what it is today. This also gave them the opportunity to produce hundreds of art exhibits and support numerous artists before the gallery closed in 2017. Today, she continues to grow the Frida festival legacy and also pursues numerous artistic endeavors around the world. She has been honored as the official artist for the Latin Grammy’s. Recently she presented “Modular Woman” a collaboration with Geraldina Intermino Wise at Zoom’Art Magazine salon in Paris, France.
Iris Contreras
Ms. Contreras is the co-founder of the Frida Festival and has spent most of her career in administration in non-profit and oil and gas industries. Ms. Contreras has a passion for supporting and facilitating the growth of artistic projects and endeavors. She helped run the East End Studio Gallery, along with Lizbeth Ortiz where they were able to build the gallery from a grassroots level to being recognized as a force within the Houston artistic community. The gallery closed in 2017 but the Frida Festival legacy continues today. Currently, Ms. Contreras is an assistant muralist with several business and residential murals being done in the Texas area.
Leticia Santos
Ms. Santos studied art at St. Edward’s University using the campus and hill country as some of her initial work. Observing the symmetry and beautiful precision that her father and mother created working with hoes, sugar beet plants, tomatoes, gorgeous pristine straight rows, and weedless fields of vegetables, she babysat herself at the edge of such fields entertaining herself with crayons and dreaming of creating similar beautiful work. After work, her father would recount stories of his fantastical youth in central Texas and northern Mexico, embellishing them with drawings of vaqueros, nopales, Indias, and witches. Some nights she was garnered to help her mother with colorful quilting. It is this tapestry of life that is in her heart and the base of her ideas. She attempts to work as hard as folks from a vanishing generation and with her work feed their soul and keep it alive.
Ms. Santos has taught for 25 years and takes great pride in helping her students develop their creativity in the classroom. In 2011 she joined East End Studio Gallery and has been part of their programming and community activities ever since.
Adriana Alaniz
Co-Founder of Barrio Antiguo Imports and Designs established in 2003. Furniture Creator, designer, and deep passion for Mexican imports. Designed and created over 500 furniture pieces and a long list of restaurant designs under my belt. My work has been featured on several local and nationwide TV media outlets. Barrio Antiguo storefront was open for 15 years in the Houston Heights area. Closed my doors in 2018 but continued business online. Now an advocate for Pediatric Congenital Heart Defect/Disease serving the American Heart Association Volunteer group. Joined forces with MuxerHTX 2022 to help assist Lizbeth Ortiz with the Art Community.