We were lucky to catch up with Christy Ross recently and have shared our conversation below.
Christy, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Teaching art to my students and adults keeps my creativity abundantly growing as an artist. The role of art educator is something I take very seriously because I know kids and adults have very little chances to explore their own creativity. The time I’m teaching must have an impact. Exploring creativity soothes our souls, calms are minds and brings brightness to our lives.
Kids especially, naturally have a knack for creative problem solving. When handed a popsicle stick they look at it as a possible tree house. When offered the possibility to use a variety of materials and open ended projects, their minds whirl and think about all that is possible! Never have I seen so much confidence in a human as a kindergartener with a paintbrush and some pieces of colorful rectangular strips of paper and told they have opportunity to create a painting and sculpture of their favorite place: the ocean, a forest, their grandma’s house. The possibilities really are endless with kids.
Adults are in tune to what they think things are supposed to look like and remind me that it’s okay to have my art not directly look like a photograph. The beauty lies in my brushstrokes, vibrant colors and subject matter that brings me satisfaction. At my Paint & Sip parties adults get explore their own creativity creating a masterpiece of their very own. Recently at an event at Clairemont Coffee my group painted a sunrise with a silhouette of a tree. I advised my artists to create their own version of the tree, using a black paint pen to create uniquely shaped branches some with hidden words in them. The contrast of the detail of the black tree silhouette and the vivid sunrise of red, orange, white and a calming blue was just incredible. It was a very successful event. I’ll be back to explore more creativity teaching adults later this month again at Clairemont Coffee.
While I do enjoy selling my art (I sell original paintings, cards, prints, magnets and tote bags) I mainly paint for my enjoyment and creative exploration. Life is too short to paint for someone else.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m both an artist and art educator. As an artist, my area is painting vivid landscapes, seascapes and elephants from time to time. I enjoy painting a place anyone can escape to. Painting soothes my brain and allows the extoverted part of myself to share my art with others, whether it’s on social media, at Clairemont Coffee, Vinya, Divine Flowers or various art shows, sharing my art gives me so much enjoyment and satisfaction.
Getting to create art with students, both children and adults alike cultivate my painting and connecting skills. When I give an art lesson it truly taps into the part of my brain that plans paintings and enhances my work.
I’m in talks right now for having my first Art Camp at one of my schools! Getting to have more time to explore art concepts and creativity unleashes the gates for even more fun for the kids!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
This doesn’t sound flashy or pretty but a skill I use a lot is managing my time. By prioritizing my goals and connections with people my business continues to grow.
Keep developing your craft. I continue to paint and it keeps me a better teacher and artist.
And finally, following through with what you say you’re going to do is key. There’s a misconception that artists are flaky. I work very hard to dispel that image. The credentialed teacher in me knows it’s important to be on time (often early), have a plan and the execute that plan.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents always believed in my desire to be an artist. When applying for college my mom made sure we could pay for all of the application fees and got my art teacher to help me complete my portfolios. When I applied to UCLA I got into the art major and the design major. I had leaned towards going with art but my dad insisted I’d be more employable as a design major. He wasn’t wrong. I worked for ten years in the movie industry coloring movies with special software and one of my projects was nominated for a technical Emmy. Aquiring those computer skills has also heavily aided me in my business with designing my website, flyers for my Paint & Sip parties and even down to designing my art cards that have stories on the back.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.christyross.art
- Instagram: Christyrossart
- Facebook: Christy Ross Art
Image Credits
Sherry Madison Hilary Murdock Christina Lizama
