Today we’d like to introduce you to Angeline Izquierdo Jose Martinez.
Hi Angeline Izquierdo, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Do Tell grew from a simple belief: everyone deserves to experience art in a space that feels inspiring and welcoming. We believe everyone has the ability to develop their own personal curation, to trust their instincts, discover what resonates with them, and build a personal relationship with art beyond trends or expectations. Do Tell is located at Arthub ATX, a thriving creative ecosystem of more than 100 working artists that champions collaboration and independent creative practice. From that space, we host artist-led workshops, exhibitions, and our monthly ;DO:DO Fridays, bringing together friends, neighbors, and first-time creators around shared creative experiences.
Our professional backgrounds inevitably shaped that vision. Angeline Izquierdo has spent over 15 years at ShadowMachine Animation, growing from intern to Creative Director while producing work alongside Oscar-winning artists and storytellers. Throughout her career in animation, she has developed a deep understanding of creative development, storytelling, and the importance of providing artists with the support and platform to bring their ideas to life. José Martinez built his career designing community arts and education programs through organizations such as Mexic-Arte Museum, Urban Roots, and Farmshare Austin, focusing on creating accessible and inclusive spaces where people can learn, create, and feel a sense of connection, both internally and externally. Together, we realized we could blend creative production with community organizing to build experiences that feel familiar, personal, and thoughtfully produced.
As we grow, we hope to continue building bridges between artists and audiences, create opportunities for emerging talent to be seen and celebrated, while encouraging people to reconnect with their own curiosity and the joy of discovering meaningful work. We believe the future of art is not discovered by following trends but by trusting your own curiosity.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but that is also what has made the journey so rewarding. Do Tell started from the ground up, with us self-funding our first workshops and exhibitions and learning as we went. When opportunities for support came along, they allowed us to expand our programming, but we have always been intentional about growing organically. We do not want to rush the process or build something driven solely by profit. We want to create a strong foundation rooted in community, creativity, and connection. Balancing that vision with our full-time careers has been one of our biggest challenges.
Building Do Tell together has also taught us the importance of communication. José and I are partners in life as well as in this work, so honesty, patience, and a shared commitment aligned to the vision are essential. Some of our favorite moments have come from the late nights spent imagining, creating, and solving problems together. There is something special about building something from scratch with someone who believes in it as deeply as you do.
Another challenge has been creating within a community that is forever growing and evolving. Without unlimited resources, we have had to be creative and intentional with what we do have. One example is the transformation of Muse Gallery at Art Hub ATX, where we used José’s museum experience to elevate the space through curatorial improvements like gallery lighting and presentation, helping create an environment that reflects the caliber of the artists showing their work there.The work requires sacrifice, but seeing people connect, create, and feel a sense of joyful belonging is worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our backgrounds are a big part of what shapes our approach. Angeline Izquierdo is a Puerto Rican creative who has spent over 15 years at ShadowMachine Animation, an Oscar-winning studio known for projects including BoJack Horseman and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Starting as an intern and growing into a Creative Director role, she has worked alongside talented artists, writers, directors, and producers to help bring ambitious stories and imaginative worlds to life.
José L. Martinez was born and raised in El Paso, TX, and brings nearly a decade of nonprofit arts administration and community programming experience with organizations such as Mexic-Arte Museum, Urban Roots, and Farmshare Austin. His work has focused on building education programs and curating exhibitions since his early college days, which create access, inclusion, and connect people via art and education. His experience listening to communities, developing tailored programming, and building genuine rapport has pleasantly shaped Do Tell’s approach.
Together, we bring two perspectives that complement one another: the creative process of developing and elevating ideas, and the community process of understanding what resonates with people and how they want to connect. That combination allows us to create experiences that are genuinely curated and rooted in the people we serve.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What we love most about Austin is the genuine desire to build community. There are so many artists, organizers, and creatives bringing people together through incredible events, workshops, and shared experiences. It feels like there is a collective search for connection beyond traditional social spaces and co-worker happy hours, as well as a growing movement to make creativity and art more accessible to everyone.
But Austin’s rapid growth has made everyday experiences increasingly expensive and harder to maintain thriving livelihoods for many. What inspires us, though, is seeing communities respond by creating alternative spaces where people can connect without the pressure of spending a lot of money. We also believe art should feel approachable and attainable, allowing everyone to develop their own curatorial eye, support artists they love, and become proud collectors.
Pricing:
- Workshops: Average $35-$40 (All Materials, food and drinks included)
- :DO ;DO Fridays: Free (Meals, drinks and materials are donation based)
- Exhibitions: Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dotell.world
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dotellmedia
