I love the internet! Especially as it allows me
to connect to people that I would never necessarily meet in person.
Take my connection to Christine, my interviewee today.
Christine made a comment on a blog I follow which I connected to. I
went and checked out her website and then contacted her. We started a
lovely email conversation back and forth. I loved her story of
finding a career she loves to do, and wanted to share her story
with my readers. She kindly agreed to answer some questions here
for me. Enjoy!
I love stories about people finding their passion. You had
another career before you became a fulltime artist - can you
paint the picture for us of how you transitioned into doing
what you love?
In the eighties, I worked in politics and research writing.
When my first child was six months old, I went back to work, but
until then I hadn't realized how much I hated it. After about 6
weeks I quit and stayed home with my beautiful new son.
However, I wasn't content to putter around the house with a
baby, and signed up for drawing and painting courses at
the Art Gallery of Ontario. I found my passion and began painting
everything in sight - literally - I did murals all over
my house. After a couple of years, I found a sales rep
who took my work into the US and got me a large contract - over 120
kid-sized handpainted adirondack chairs. Success! Except now I had
to hire people to help me, and I was spending little time with
my now two young children as I was too busy and tired. After
the chair project was finished, I dismantled the operation. I
stood back and examined what I loved - it was really the painting,
so I took more courses and began to paint on canvas.
I continue to paint, and, as my children grow, I am able to
devote more and more time to making and promoting my
art.
Over the years I worked first in my kitchen, then in my basement.
Four years ago, I was able to find a studio-share close to home.
Having a studio opened up a whole world of possibilities for me,
as I was able to work on large scale projects and print reams
of fabric. It's been such a joy and a blessing to have a space of
my own. I am thankful for it everyday.
Some of the key themes of your art are beauty, spirituality,
and joy. What draws you to these and how do they inspire
you to interpret them?
My work is a reflection of my own life - as a woman, a
wife, a mother, a friend. I have the same struggles and
triumphs everyone has, and I explore and express
them by creating. I feel it's a way to share and honour
experiences we have as women and as human beings. What appears
in my work is usually that moment when you finally get it: the
freedom and joy you feel when you're leaving a limitation behind
and moving forward into something new that's scary and exciting at
the same time. You feel a peaceful anticipation. That's why most of
the figures in my paintings and prints appear as though they are
literally leaping with bliss. It's how I feel at my core when I'm
practising yoga or meditating, and what I long to express visually.
Taking linoblock and screen printing courses has brought a new
dimension to my work. I love how it communicates - it's
immediate and primal.
Your examination of the interplay between the written word and
visual images totally makes my heart sing. Can you talk about
why it tugs at you?
When I was young I wrote a lot of short stories, my mother
really wanted me to be a writer. Both reading and writing are an
integral part of my life. but I learned long ago I am first and
foremost a visual person. The visual expression of an idea that
comes from the word is what really feeds my soul. I find
that reading the tender words of the mystic poets like Rumi and
Hafiz make my heart and my throat open up like giant wings. I am in
awe of their gifts and though I feel overwhelmed and humbled by
their words, I need to find a way to express this joy visually. My
paintings and prints always start with a poem or a phrase. One of
my early prints came from a meditation I did where I heard this
line, "There is a freedom in my soul that commands me to fly."
Later that day I created a linoblock print
called Soar. Sometimes I use the text itself in my
work. My latest line of pillows has quotes by Rumi, Hafiz and Kabir
silkscreened on the back along with the Marrakesh inspired
designs.
You work on some large projects with children. Why is it
important for you to work with kids? And, is there any advice you
can give our readers who might be thinking of connecting
specifically with a children's organization?
Working with elementary school children on large scale art projects
has become an important part of my life. Creativity is an essential
and often overlooked part of a child's education. I started working
on projects at my own children's school. Working on large
scale murals, kids open up and express themselves in ways they
never thought possible. It's usually the child most resistant
to the project who ends up feeling the most pride on its'
completion. School murals brighten and enhance the day of all
students - not only those who created them. The joyful energy
and bright colours of hall or school yard murals become a visual
treat for everyone. I have met so many artists who are passionate
about working with children. Once you work with children, you are
hooked. The feedback you get from them far outweighs the hard
work.
There are a few non-profit organizations that bring art into the
schools. Here in Toronto I do work with AFCY (Arts for Children and
Youth http://www.afcy.ca/).
Another Toronto organization is Inner City Angels http://www.innercityangels.ca/Public/Home.aspx.
Both are committed to working with "under-serviced" school
communities, but let's face it, all schools are under serviced when
it comes to the arts. If you are interested in working with schools
in Ontario - there is a grant program called Artists in Education.
You can apply through the Ontario Arts Council. http://www.arts.on.ca/index.html
And finally, how do you get out of your head and into your
hands?
Creating is my joy, my salvation and my peace. I don't have trouble
starting something creative, it's stopping I struggle with. A whole
day can go by in what seems like a minute to me - the whole world
disappears. Suddenly my kids are home and I realize there's nothing
for dinner and I have to be out the door in ten minutes to get to
yoga. I really have to pay attention and focus in order to
create balance. I have often excitedly made 20 of something before
I realized - you know what - that's just for the couch!
Check out Christine's website, Art
That Moves, which is full of art and textiles, and follow
her on twitter, @artthatmovesCA!
Thank you Christine, it's been lovely getting to know you
more!