BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Local artist Clarissa Martinez is featured as part of Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages’ 2023 Community Canvas Campaign.

Martinez created an illustrative print ad for Hispanic Heritage Month that showcased the “By the Border by the Sea” community.

Martinez says Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages reached out to her last year. At first, she didn’t believe it but as time went on she got excited and explained the process as nerve-wrecking.

Martinez says her inspiration for the illustration stemmed from, where she lives, where she comes from and what is familiar to those who are from the Valley.

“When I created the image I definitely wanted to stick away from stereotypical imagery that people tend to use when they think of not only Mexican culture but just the Valley in general,” Martinez said. “I really thought hard about of what have we not seen that is used in campaigns like this but also what is familiar to people from the Valley.”

The illustration included the popularity of mole, ocelots which are native to the Valley, palm trees, and Dahlia flowers, the national flower of Mexico.

Martinez also added a personal touch to the final illustration.

“The accordion in the middle is actually my grandpa’s accordion because he loved music and that was his instrument of choice and it felt like it really had to go there in the center,” Martinez said.

Martinez said she hopes others see her illustration and encourages them to keep pursuing what they want to pursue.

The Valley artist also has some of her artwork displayed at Linear Park in Brownsville. She painted large cubes with ages similar to those in her digital print.

The commercial with her artwork can be seen on TV. Coca-Cola also produced a video about Martinez that is available on Youtube.