Artist Biography:
As a graduate from Emily Carr University in 2012, Christina Passey’s art arises from the culmination of her creative, emotional and perceptual viewpoints of the world. After graduation she continued exploring her art while in residence at The Banff Centre in 2013. Christina immerses herself in many different styles of painting and drawing from whimsical to photo-realist; combining these styles, or what she likes to think of as ‘worlds’, Christina creates a new ‘living landscape’ to be explored and experienced. Using oil, charcoal, and graphite as her mediums, Christina captures the world as she encounters it.
Artist Statement:
I usually prefer to use oil paints and charcoal as my main mediums. I also use soft pastels, particularly when I focus on photo-realism paintings. My paintings are the culmination of my creative, emotional and perceptual viewpoints on the world. I dip into many styles of painting and drawing from whimsical to photo-realism; meshing these two styles or what I like to think of as ‘worlds’, and thus creating a new ‘living landscape’ to be explored and experienced. I paint in a photo-realist way, in a sense that it gives the viewer a feeling like they might of seen the image before whether in a newspaper article, image on the evening news, etc. thus sparking a feeling in the viewer that what they see has a familiarity to it – a basis in reality. I work mostly from photos that I have taken – or a combination of images that I have taken, modified or researched a topic and then seek out images that best represent my ideas and then I create a unique image from which to craft my story.
My paintings are formed around a narrative – a story told through expressive means as a way of capturing my ideas and an array of emotions – from happy, sad and the unknown. I see my art as the medium through which I can begin telling a story. I have a keen fascination in bringing to light the struggle of societies of those who cannot or do not speak for themselves; the marginal or minority groups in society – the oppressed. The seemingly silent oppressed groups or individuals in this world whose voices and needs are often only silent or lost due to being overshadowed by the concerns of mainstream culture and society. For example – the unspoken trauma that plagues a family suffering through effects of having a soldier return home from war – only to fight a new war suffering the effects of PTSD.
A darkness is present in my recent work. I continue to explore this because it is an expression of the struggle that is a part of each of our lives. The shadows of our souls need to be balanced by light; often an image is not representative of the entire story. In my work, I aim to draw the viewer in with a captivating scene that triggers an emotion, and then let the nuances of the image and the vivid details of the moment express a deeper story. Art acts as a starting point for the audience to hear my stories. Being involved in the equestrian world for more than half my life, I have witnessed what man is willing to do to this very noble creature, whom they call their partner, in order to ensure compliance. In achieving the perfect aesthetic image that is necessary for a winning title, it can be difficult to see the internal turmoil that man inflicts on the animal. There is always a story to be told and art allows a way of giving the viewer a starting point and letting them become immersed on a journey that requires an image – a beginning to a narrative that is only confined by one’s imagination.
If art is thought to reach the soul then I desire my art to jumpstart the emotionally destitute and strike a chord with the viewer about the reality of issues and concerns that so many of us experience and live with everyday. This is what art is supposed to do for people – it is supposed to express. I want to connect with it personally but also hope that it will connect with someone else in whatever way feels right. I don’t have a bunch of rules or guidelines on how to interpret my paintings – I feel that the painting should strike a chord and a feeling with the person looking at it – if it can do this on any level I’ve added something worthwhile to the world.
CV:
Education
2015 Vancouver Film School, Diploma
2012 Emily Carr University, B.F.A. Visual Arts
2004- 2008 Kwantlen University College, Various undergraduate studies
2003 Stelly’s Secondary School Diploma
Residency
2013 Banff Artists in Residence (BAIR) Program Winter, Banff, AB
Awards and Scholarships
2014 Canadian Artists First Prize Award, Works on Paper, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2014 Award of Excellence, Artists Choice, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2013 Award of Excellence, Small, Smaller and Smallest, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2013 Active Member, Federation of Canadian Artists
2013 Full Circle Member, Emily Carr Alumni Association
2012 Nominee for the BMO 1st Art Competition
2003 Scholarship of the study of Tourism, Stelly’s Secondary
Solo Exhibition
2013 When is Enough, Enough, Philosophers Knoll, Banff, AB
Juried Exhibitions
2014 Annual International Representational Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2014 Open Show 2014, Thompson Nicola Shuswap Chapter of the FCA
2014 Works on Paper, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2014 Artist Choice, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2013 Small, Smaller and Smallest, Federation Gallery Vancouver, BC
2013 Artist Choice, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2013 Annual International Representational Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2013 Painting on the Edge, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
Group Exhibitions
2014 Active Members Show, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2012 Gateway Theater Party, curated by Denise Chambers, Gateway Theater, Richmond, BC
2012 Emily Carr University Degree Exhibition, Vancouver, BC
2011 Gateway Theater Party, curated by Denise Chambers, Gateway Theater, Richmond, BC
2010 Visual Exchange, VSA Space, Vancouver, BC
2007 New Dimension Realm, Kwantlen University, Surrey, BC
2006 Candy, Kwantlen University, Surrey, BC
Public art
2012 At What Cost, Skytrain kiosk column, Canada Line skytrain station, Richmond, BC
Commissions
2014 Drawing commissioned for Peters Family
2014 Painting commissioned for Doctors, INC
2014 Drawing commissioned for Doctors, INC
2013 Painting commission for The Wildlife Federation of Canada
2013 Drawing commission for The Nite of Hope, Richmond, BC
2012 Drawing commission for the Cousar Family Trust
2012 Drawing commission for the Palmer Family
2012 Painting commission for The Nite of Hope, Richmond, BC
2011 Drawing commission for the Driediger Family
2011 Painting commission for Arabian Horse Association of British Columbia
2011 Painting commission for Excalibur Stables
2010 Drawing commissions for the Strachen Family
2010 Drawing commission for the Oster Family
Public Speaking
2011 Thoughts, Behavior and Human Reaction in the 21st Century: The Reason Why Art Needs to Reflect the Human Aesthetic Appeal, Emily Carr University, Vancouver, BC
Film
2012 Psycho Kitty, Hoarding Cats Film Inc, Vancouver, BC
2006 Minotaur and Hare, Vancouver Biennale Film Promotion by Kwantlen University, Surrey, BC