BIOGRAPHY
Autobiographical Top 10 Countdown
10 Reasons:
Ten reasons why I paint. Drive to be creative. Desire to express it. Develop further skills. Deepens my life experience. Direction for my articulation.
Discourse with the public. Defines me as an artist. Derives an income. Dreams are fulfilled. Delights me.
9 Contemporaries:
Nine of my current contemporaries who’ve influenced my feelings about painting in some way. This list changes and isn’t in any particular order.
Jerry Pinkney (linework), Walter Rane (movement), Kamille Corry (color), Micheal Deas (portraiture), Daniel Adel (beauty in the ordinary ),
Robert Liberace (drawing), Jacob Collins (chiaroscuro), Morgan Weistling (brushwork), and Kadir Nelson (subject’s character).
8 Topics:
Eight topics I’m drawn to in my paintings. Portraits, figurative, still life, sketches, family, spirituality, metaphors, and simplicity.
7 Cores:
Seven core processes to my creativity - contemplation, consciousness, conception, cultivation, construction, conviction, commentary.
6 Masters:
Six old masters (a narrowed down version) that inspire me for their work and/or lives; Leonardo DiVinci, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Carl Bloch,
Rosa Bonheur, Marie Elizabeth Vigee-LeBrun, William Bouguereau.
5 Years:
Five years was about what it took to earn a BFA from Brigham Young University. I graduated (with my daughter) in 2005, without honors, but with
lots of family members. This has given me the ability to take my work to another level of skill and thought.
4 Mediums:
Four mediums I enjoy and use well: oil acrylic, gouache, pencil
3 People:
Three people I try to please in painting. Me, myself, and I. I’m not narcissistic but I have to paint what comes from the inside. I’ve come to realize
what one of my instructors said, “Paint your Passion”. I can’t paint someone else’s passion.
2 Publications:
Two publications featured my paintings. I did 12 paintings for the Ensign magazine for women’s articles in 2006. Also, BYU Studies’ front, back
and inside covers along with the explanation of the painting’s metaphor were published.
1 Contest:
One contest (my first) and my painting takes on a life of its own. I won first place. Had prints distributed internationally. It printed in various publications.
The painting was purchased and donated to the World Family Policy Center. It has been displayed at BYU’s visitor’s center and becomes part of
their visitors presentation. And I had the opportunity to speak to an international delegation on its metaphor.
Other Info
Born: Inglewood, Los Angeles, California 1962
Raised: Southern California
Lived in: San Diego, Orange County, Chino, Simi Valley, West Covina, Long Beach (California), Provo (Utah), Cameron (Missouri)
Visited: Hawaii, New York, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, California, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Mexico, Guadalajara
Interests: family, friends, crafts, sewing, singing, designing, scrapbooking, gardening, speaking, teaching (and of course painting)
Married: 25 years to Allen Christensen, Jr. (a wonderful man)
Children: Leila (Bob), Alisha, Logan, Jessie, Reece, Wade, Samantha, and Cassandra (yeah, and 5 are still at home)
Copyright © Shannon Christensen 2008