PHOENIX — A local artist is using her love of drawing to recreate the sites around her -- and at the same time, making lifelong memories along the way.
Aileen Martinez first starting drawing on notepads to document her travels.
“I like that you’re able to capture an image of life and then days or years or months later, go back to it and just remember where you were,” she said.
She then started posting her drawings on her Instagram page, Look See Draw.
Pretty soon, people from all over the Valley were asking her to draw the places that meant the most to them. One of her most popular requests is to draw the outside of houses.
“I think it’s fun,” Martinez said. “I mean, homes are so special. It’s the place you spend the most time, especially nowadays.”
Along with homes, she has also drawn recreations of well-known businesses, such as Crescent Ballroom, The Westward Ho, the artwork along Grand Avenue, and downtown farmer’s markets.
She's become so popular that it has turned into her full-time job, something the 27-year-old never imagined happening.
“I didn’t know how to draw when I first started. Anyone can learn, you just have to practice," she said.
So the next time you find yourself outside, Martinez encourages you to look up and take in the world around you because you might just be surprised with what you see.
“Phoenix is such an underrated city,” she said. “It has so much to offer, and it's definitely grown a lot as well. There are so many places I’ve learned about through doing this. It just has a lot of rich history and it’s just a cool city.”
You can reach out to Martinez at aileenmdepop@gmail.com or via Instagram.