SELENA RIOS-CORTEZ
-multimedia artist-
Animation projects.
HUSHED
Here is a short I animated for a fashion show about Hmong refugees. I animated all the bird scenes and created all the artwork.
“Hushed is a collection based on my background and a representation of myself. The collection tells a story of the secret war and the Hmong people through the colors of the outfits. The colors of war, blood, refugee, and freedom" - Pakou Vang
Credits for video clips of secret war belongs to PBS
Music credits belong to 88diagram
UMBRA
This was my senior capstone project for my animation degree. This was a an animation project i've always wanted to execute. I love horror and I am grateful that I was able to direct this project.
The main idea of the story is that we all have dark secret desires, some of us just act on them more than others. We are all monsters, at different degrees. This short film won the MN Film & TV's grant and Best Animation for the year of 2018 at MSUM's student film showcase.
Masked Man
Here is an animation short to practice my story telling skills. I wanted to put emphasis on symbolism and abstractness.
Hide & Seek
Horror might just be my favorite genre. There is an urban legend in Japan where you play hide and seek with spirits, dolls being the spirit's vessels. The idea of playing any kind of game with spirits is terrifying in itself. This was a mini animation project that explains how to play this taboo of a game.
String of Fate
Most of us know that the "red string of fate" represents. When two people are bounded to each other by a red string. We think that this string of fate is supposed to bring upon happiness and joy. I mean we essentially have our soul mate assigned already? Fate is known to be cruel however. This was another personal project where I was practicing stop motion animation.
Animation Experimentation
traditional art & sketches
Graphic Design
Digital Illustration
 My friend's partner is a huge Tim Burton fan. This was just a fun little gift I made for them. |  This was from a passion project that I will one day return to. This is concept art for an animated short for the creepypasta "The Smiling Man." |  I wanted to create a piece that showed how much of a struggle mental health battles can be with yourself. |  This is one of the 31 pieces I created for Inktober in 2021. |  Part of my 2021 Inktober collection |  Part of my 2021 Inktober collection |  Part of my 2021 Inktober collection |
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 Part of my 2021 Inktober collection |  I created a Horoscope series with my take on what they would look like. As you can see, I love the horror aesthetic. |  Horoscope challenge |  Horoscope challenge |  Horoscope challenge |  This was an avatar I designed for my brand |  What do you get when you cross Beastars with Animal Crossing?! Cuteness that's what! |
P.S Comic
P.S is a comic still in progress and wanted to document here. I have a couple chapters on my Instagram (@lilfrightz). This comic is basically a diary of my life with my dog and partner. I was inspired by creators such as Murz and Fishball who published their comics on Webtoon. I hope to reach people who had a similar upbringings and create a community of comfort and self-love. P.S is a title under works. P.S are the first initials for my partner and I's names. The idea comes as from the P.S note that comes at the end of letters as a sort of "by the way." Each chapter will be titled with P.S followed by whatever message the chapter will be about (ex. P.S I don't care."
about.
I am a multimedia artist who thrives on experimentation, always pushing the boundaries of my craft. Specializing in 2D illustration and animation, I use art as a powerful medium to communicate ideas and inspire change. My passion for art stems from its infinite potential and its ability to convey complex messages in deeply personal ways. I am particularly drawn to projects that focus on representation and activism, using my work as a platform to elevate voices and explore social issues.
Art, to me, is a window into the artist's soul, a reflection of their personality and worldview. Every piece I create tells a story, whether simple or intricate. I don't limit myself to one art form because I believe art is vast and subjective, and its beauty lies in its endless possibilities.
Over the years, I have earned a couple "Best Animation" awards during my time at Moorhead State University, and I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with the Hjemkomst Museum on a variety of projects, including graphic design, animation, and documentary work. One of my proudest achievements is receiving the Minnesota TV grant for an animated short I directed called "Umbra."
As a Hispanic woman in the art and entertainment industry, I take great pride in representing my community and using my work to empower others. My goal is to make a lasting impact through art, while continuing to explore new creative possibilities.