Wherever this emerging artist goes, she encounters her designs on everything from women’s clothing to ice cream containers

by Laura D.C. Kolnoski

A chance encounter during high school launched Christina Assuncao on a career that illustrates the forces of fate. Recently named Hoboken Girl of the Week by hobokengirl.com, the Colts Neck native now has her own art gallery, successful shows, and a roster of clients so high-profile that she can’t reveal “the coolest ones.”

“I’ve always been drawn to patterns and creating something from nothing, whether it was building with Legos, drawing on walls with crayons, or inventing new recipes for mud pies,” said Assuncao, who began after-school art classes in painting, drawing, and pottery as a youngster. While her aunt is also an artist, it was the support of her parents (an engineer and a lawyer) that propelled her to pursue art.

Assuncao’s first mentor was her Colts Neck High School art teacher, Lauren Iachello, whom she credits with teaching her to paint and encouraging her to push boundaries. During Assuncao’s senior year, Iachello arranged for her student to skip math classes and use a double period plus lunchtime to create an art school portfolio. In 2004, Assuncao met a vice president of American Eagle Outfitters, who was walking through Freehold Mall and spotted the tall stunner. He asked if she’d be interesting in modeling…and for her parents’ phone number. So, she became a fit and print model, appearing in instore campaigns and magazine advertisements.

“I got to see the fashion industry from the inside out, and experienced a revelation when I learned what a surface pattern designer was—a job where you hand paint patterns and they end up on clothes,” said Assuncao. “I ultimately chose Syracuse University for their SPD program. Two weeks after I graduated, I started working for Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister in their home office in Columbus, Ohio.” While at Syracuse, Assuncao made the Dean’s List every semester and earned a U.S. Congressional Youth Award.

The artist was still in college when she was commissioned by family friends to create color palettes and patterned packaging for their ice cream company, Mr. Green Tea, headquartered in Keyport. It was her first paid job. That design is now seen nationwide in grocery and specialty stores, restaurants, and homes she visits, one she refers to as “wild.” She also designed the logo and labels for a wine company, and ultimately found her way to Ralph Lauren, where she became a print and pattern designer for women’s clothes in 2013.

“I still see my prints on clothing frequently,” Assuncao said. “I was having dinner at Catch in Red Bank, and a woman sitting next to us was wearing a Ralph Lauren floral shirt I designed. It’s great to see little pieces of my old print life around the world!” But as she was entering that industry, “the beautiful art of hand painting patterns was lost to digital prints,” she explained. “I was barely painting one every few months. It was a tough and risky decision to leave the industry, but I jumped out in November 2014 and never looked back.”

Using her middle name, Assuncao opened Rae Studios in New York City, but the moniker didn’t gain enough traction, so she changed it to Xina Paints, using her nickname to better represent her vibe. The large-scale art company is now based out of Hoboken, where she now resides with her fiancé.

When visiting her native Monmouth County, Assuncao draws inspiration from its nautical culture, including maps, charts, and old sailboats. Friends who own a Red Bank real estate firm recently hosted her first ten-piece gallery show, “The Navesink Collection,” half of which sold in one night. The works appear on the Xina Paints website, along with a depiction of Darth Vader she painted over a client’s bed.

Assuncao has completed projects for Fortune 500 companies and art galleries in addition to private clients. She was also among a team of international artists commissioned by Jersey City to paint a vibrant blue and green swirl mural in an area frequently tagged with graffiti. In general, she said, graffiti artists respect the work of other creators and don’t paint over it.

“The path is hard for a young artist/designer,” she said. “In high school you are assigned specific projects, and to get into art school you are given a checklist of what to draw. In college, you tend to sway your pieces to professors to get the best grades. After college you tailor your portfolio to fit whatever job you want. When I started my studio, it was a challenge to finally sit down and paint the collection I wanted. I was a beach lifeguard, a paddle boarder, a swimmer, and rowed crew, and as a person who lives for the water, I decided to start there.”

Summer is outdoor project and mural season for the artist. Afterward, she will be heading up the coast to begin researching her next collection.

Xina Paints
701 Clinton Street, Hoboken / 732.267.2049 / xinapaints.com