Welcome to Watercolors by Christine

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ABOUT THE ARTIST

Christine has been studying watercolor techniques with renown Key West watercolorist Sanford Birdsey.  Christine has painted in different mediums over the years but has always returned to her first love watercolors.  As a child she took lessons with a regional artist Richard Frizzell and watched him paint on the shores of the Great Sacandaga Lake in the  Adirondacks, NY.  She loved the way he used the palette knife as his primary tool and put passion into the movement of water and sky with oils and acrylics.

She majored in both Elementary Education and in Art Education. While a student at Oneonta State University, she studied with Jim Mullen.  Jim gave Christine a love for drawing with Flairs and drawing anything and everywhere.  She was seldom without her sketchbook when she left the house.

 She taught art for six years from K-12 in the Catskill Mountains of NY. There she took classes at the Woodstock School of Art, working with pastels. There she had the opportunity to work with famed Catskills Artist Ralph Persons.  Ralph studied for 20 years with the incomparable John Pike. (The inventor of the Pike's Pallet, still the best on the market) Christine painted mountains, lakes, barns and wonderful scenery reflective of the area.

A big move came about for Christine in 1992 when her husband pianist Larry Smith moved to Key West.   As with any big move, Woodstock to Key West, she became more active in pursuing her musical career and establishing her career as a Kindergarten Teacher.  The years slipped by without having the time to bring out the watercolors. 

She frequently passed by the window of Sanford Birdsey on Simonton Street and admired the paintings that seemed alive and vibrant.  Two years ago, she signed up for Sanford's Classes and a whole new world opened up to her.  Sanford being the caring and sharing teacher at 84, lets students into her world of color, composition and light.  She makes you realize that as painters, we are in a unique place with colors that only make sense in Key West. Christine has a new enthusiasm and is excited about creating paintings that reflect the beautiful day to day life in Key West.

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