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| Whale of Tale - Mural by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita |
Tina Winterlik (Zipolita) – Artist Bio
Tina Winterlik, also known as Zipolita, is a Vancouver-based artist, photographer, and storyteller whose work lives at the intersection of resilience, nature, and human connection. With a background in digital imaging, photography, and social media storytelling, Tina has spent years documenting both beauty and truth—often turning her lens toward the overlooked, the misunderstood, and the deeply human.
Her creative path has never been separate from her lived experience. Through personal challenges, shifting economies, and a changing city, Tina continues to create with what is available—transforming simple materials into meaningful expressions. Whether through writing, photography, or painting, her work carries a consistent message: that even in difficult times, there is still connection, still kindness, still something worth protecting.
On the Murals – A Story from the Seawall
Yesterday reminded me why I keep going.
Lately, I’ve been writing about difficult things—heavy things. But out there, on the seawall, something entirely different happened.
Person after person stopped to talk to me. Not just passing by—but really stopping. They told me how much they loved the murals. How they look forward to seeing them. How they noticed when one had been damaged. How sorry they were that someone painted over parts of them… even writing something as harsh as “Nuke the whales.”
That one hurt.
But what stayed with me more was the kindness that followed. The words people took the time to say. The care. The encouragement. Honestly, it felt overwhelming—in the best way. Like medicine I didn’t even realize I needed.
If I ever feel low again, I know where to go.
There’s one piece in particular—the old log on the beach.
Last year, it was almost chopped up. I remember being there when people found out. There was a real sense of loss, like something important was about to disappear. But that log isn’t just driftwood—it feels like an old warrior. It has held its place through storms, tides, and time. It protects more than it harms. It belongs there.
And now, it holds art too.
One man who stopped to talk told me his son used to be a tagger. That could have been a tense conversation—but it wasn’t. It turned into something thoughtful and real. We talked about how expensive spray paint is, and how toxic—not just for the environment, but for the people using it.
We even talked about artists like Emily Carr and Vincent van Gogh, and how in their time, they were exposed to harmful chemicals in their paints—things we understand differently now.
It made me feel grateful for my own process.
Most of my materials come from simple places—$2 bottles of paint, brushes from Dollarama. For about $20 and a few hours of work, I painted a whale that’s still in progress… but already alive in its own way.
There’s something freeing about that. No gatekeepers. No expensive setup. Just time, effort, and care.
Some of the murals are in places that are hard to reach—ledges I have to carefully climb up and down. It’s not easy. But maybe that’s part of why they’ve lasted.
From April through summer, into winter—through wind, rain, and salt air—they’ve held up. Not perfectly, but beautifully. There’s wear, yes. But there’s also strength in that. Like they’ve lived.
Yesterday reminded me of something simple but powerful:
People care.
Not everyone—but enough.
Enough to stop. Enough to speak. Enough to see.
And right now, that means everything.
Follow My Work
If you’d like to see more of my art, writing, and ongoing projects, you can find me here:
🌿 Blog (Personal stories, murals, reflections)
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.com
🌎 Adventurez In Mexico (Travel & culture)
http://adventurezinmexico.blogspot.ca
🎨 Zipolita (Art site – in progress)
http://zipolita.com
📌 Pinterest (Visual inspiration & collections)
https://www.pinterest.com.mx/zipolita
🐦 Twitter / X (Updates & thoughts)
https://twitter.com/zipolita
📘 Facebook (Community & posts)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/zipolita
💼 Online CV (Work & experience)
https://zipolitazcv.blogspot.com
Thank you for being here, for stopping, for seeing, and for caring. It means more than you know.
