About Us
Meet the duo behind Yana Inti!
primary artist | owner | designer
I'm Saminti (He/Him), a trans and Ecuadorian artist based in Florida, USA. My expertise lies in illustration, design, and flexibility with different mediums. With over ten years of dedicated art study, my career spans diverse projects, including charity zines, video games, published art books, and more. In addition to professional endeavors, I enjoy creating original content such as personal character designs/concepts and fandom merchandise. At the moment, I'm most interested in video game industry work.
Yana Inti, or "Black Sun" in Quechua, is my merchandise and commission storefront. I host my shop both online and at in-person events. My works are often inspired by pop culture, food, nature, LGBTQ+ themes, Western genres, and Ecuadorian roots. Producing goods that are vibrant, warm, and functional is what I enjoy most. Store fulfillment, convention attendance, and general management are done with the help of my wonderful partner, Prince, who worked very hard on getting this website up and running :). Our small team of two (plus our cats, of course) works weekly to organize appearances, fulfill orders, and create fun work to share.
Yana Inti promises to be as eco-conscious as possible to reduce negative environmental impact. Our mailers, envelopes, and business cards are paper-based biodegradable material and curbside recyclable. We encourage customers to recycle as much as possible! All products are made with the intent to be long-lasting and prevent unnecessary waste. We do not offer epoxy on our goods as the material has been found to yellow and lose quality over time.
Yana Inti was created with inspiration from my culture, my love for Western themes, and my experience as a queer man. "Yana" means "black" in Quechua. In old American Westerns, the villain of the story is often shown with a black hat to symbolize their estrangement. The queer experience is often villainized in both pop culture and in real life, and for me, I embrace my differences and have learned to love them, even if others have not done the same. For the latter of the name, "Inti" derives from the Incan god of the sun, as well as my name which takes the same derivative. Between the desire to connect and share my culture as well as the pre-existing love for all things bright and colorful, "Inti" married "Yana" and became the face of my brand.
If you're interested in hiring me for industry or large-scale commercial work inquiries, please email samintirart@gmail.com and/or visit my portfolio site.
collaborating artist | manager | designer
I'm Prince (They/Them), a transmasculine nonbinary Puerto Rican vampire who lives in your walls and accepts plants as a fair currency. I'm probably the person who you thought was the artist at a convention we went to but I didn't have enough time to explain otherwise, nor did I want to make things awkward, so I nodded my head and smiled while Sam stared at me because he's gay because he was daydreaming.
I typically work in the shadows (no pun intended) and cater to the back end of our responsibilities like planning conventions or packing orders. At times, I contribute to the consideration and design process of merchandise and drafting, and I set schedules for pookie my partner, and find ways to innovate the shop. I’m the director and writer for Project Chasgua. Other times, I'm an honorary trophy wife and self-titled HBIC. I'm like to Sam what Kris Jenner is to the Kardashians. Minus that one video that one time. Nevermind.
When I'm not working on the shop, I enjoy indulging myself in my other passions and hobbies. Clothing, makeup, food, reading, writing, and gaming are some of the more prominent passions in my life. I also have a sizeable garden that I nurse, and when I can, I like to donate some to a community exchange. My more intensive gardening project involves collecting rare seeds, specifically from PR and ECU, to work directly with organizations to contribute to the knowledge and preservation of the plants through study.
