Jesusita Aldrete is a photographer based in Austin, Texas, and an undergraduate photography student at St. Edward’s University. With over six years of experience behind the camera, her work moves between carefully constructed studio scenes and quieter moments of observation. Drawing from traditions of still life and portraiture, Aldrete explores themes of stillness, introspection, and subtle storytelling through images that hint at hidden narratives.

I am an artist working in photography, captivated by the understated ways still life can transform ordinary objects into something meaningful. I’m especially drawn to where worn or discarded items acquire new texture and form; botanical still life, emphasizing the fragile beauty of plants and flowers; and vanitas, using symbols such as fruit, clocks, or skulls to contemplate time and impermanence.

My recent work centers on studio-based still lifes and portraiture inspired by 16th–17th century painting traditions, yet remains firmly grounded in the present. Through light, shadow, and subtle gestures, I craft images that feel familiar yet slightly off-balance. In both still life and portraiture, I continually return to the power of stillness: its ability to hold memory, emotion, and story without ever lifting its voice.

Jesusita Aldrete 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

2022 - 2026          St. Edwards University, Austin, TX 

BA in Photography and Media Arts 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2026                  

  (Upcoming) St. Edwards University 

                          Senior Photography Exhibition, Austin, TX

WORK

2022                    Intern at San Antonio Express-News

2023                    Temp Photographer

at Circuit of the Americas 

2023 - Present   Lab Monitor Assistant,

St. Edwards University

2025 - Present Intern at ART HUB ATX

AWARDS/GRANTS 

2022                   Scholar Award, St. Edwards University

Merit-based scholarship