The Muse

Chris-Tina has a presence that’s impossible to ignore — sharp, confident, and effortlessly cool. She loves theatre and telling stories, whether she’s performing on stage or sharing a moment with friends. She has incredible style and a personality that’s both bubbly yet self-assured, always knowing who she is and never afraid to say what needs to be said. In these portraits, I wanted to capture not just how she looks, but her spark, her presence, and all the little details that make her unforgettable.

Welcome to the first entry in my new "Beyond the Lens" series: Chris-Tina Vinnett

**In Her Words...**

Beneath the Surface

Joshua: "First off, who is Chris-Tina Vinnett?"

Chris-Tina: "I am am artist and lover to my core. Honestly, I think I was put on Earth to love and perform."

Joshua: "How would you describe yourself to someone who's never met you?"

Chris-Tina: "Guarded, at first. I like to come off as reserved, but I'm constantly overflowing with emotion.

Joshua: "What's something most people don't know about you?"

Chris-Tina: "I'm almost just as (if not more) critical of others as I am of myself."

Joshua: "Now, what does your African-American identity mean to you?"

Chris-Tina: "Everything. Literally everything. Whenever I feel discouraged, I think back at all that I've accomplished in spite of others due to my blackness. According to history, I shouldn't even know how to read or write. Yet here I am, performing and going above and beyond in everything I do. I think about all that has been sacrificed to get us here, and I just know—whatever I do—I have to give back.

How She Moves

Joshua: "How has being involved in theatre shaped the way you move through the world?"

Chris-Tina: "It's definitely taught me vulnerability and has given me a better understanding of my emotions and of others'. It's a means of communication. It's like a universal language."

Joshua: "When do you feel the most powerful or confident?"

Chris-Tina: "Honestly, when I'm alone. In isolation, there are no restrictions or expectations to meet. I can be authentically me, and therefore, my most confident self."

Joshua: "What do you hope people see when they look at you?"

Chris-Tina: "I hope they see someone kind and gentle. But also, someone slightly volatile, sardonic, and a bit of a mess sometimes. I want people to recognize that people have dimensions and are a lot more nuanced."

Joshua: "What are you deeply passionate about right now?"

Chris-Tina: "Love—in all its fashions. I'm so vested in it. I want to understand the science behind it. Why I feel so deeply, and if anyone else feels it the way I do.

Looking Forward

Joshua: "If your younger self could see you right now, what do you think she'd say?"

Chris-Tina: "Man, she'd be so proud. She'd probably want to know everything there is to know: what's it like to be onstage, how'd I get pass that horrible speech impediment, does seventeen feel as free as I always thought it would. She'd be so overly zealous."

Joshua: "You should be very proud! Where do you see yourself, let's say, 10 years from now?"

Chris-Tina: "At peace, hopefully. In my head, that's somewhere I can't be reached—completely off the grid and unavailable to what does not support me."

Joshua: "How do you want to be remembered?"