Christina Anastasia
What is your favorite art medium to work in, and why?
I am blessed to have several "favorite" mediums to work with but beads hold a special place in my heart. I love the history of beads, how they've been used as adornment and currency throughout the ages, and I love their ability to sparkle. I visited the Czech Republic, the homeland of commercial glass bead making and was truly blown away by the artistry involved in making them. Seeing the skill needed and process that has evolved over hundreds of years increased my appreciation and love of beads many times.
When did you first figure out that art was important to you?
Thanks to my artist parents I could paint before I could walk, but I really saw the importance of art in life when I was 5 years old. My teacher Miss Penny, took several students to a side room where we sat at a long white table that was drenched in sunlight. She stood at one end of the table and poured out a bucket of beads. There were big beads, small beads, the lavender beads with what I now know to be an aura borealis glaze caught my eye. They shimmered and sparkled in the light, I was transfixed by their beauty and felt pure joy well up within myself. This was the first time I had felt an emotion with no counterpart, it was so pure and clean feeling. I knew then that art was healing but it took me two decades of meditation, practice, failure, success, endurance, passion, love, angst to understand what that ment and my understanding is still evolving. However; I do know from my own life, and the lives of many that my art has spoken to, that sparkle does make the world a better place by giving hope where hope is hidden. Healing through beauty.
Who is your art mentor?
John Swingdler, a master at painting light who's discipline, endurance, and vision are forever inspirational to me. Morris Graves, who called me 'sparkling crystal' when I was a child told me "only make art if you have to, otherwise it'll be shit" As I have spent that last three decades making art from dance to torch work I'd have to agree with him. Ernst Fuchs, one of the most masterful painters to ever exist on this planet and who's work coined the term "Visionary" artist. I've loved his art for as long as I can remember and had the pleasure of spending a day with him, we talked about every subject imaginable. His insight and our conversations had a profound impact on me personally and as an artist. Lastly, myself. I am my number one mentor. I am always evolving into a clearer, stronger, and more conscious version of myself. The path that I have created this lifetime has been very full... I have chosen to persevere and thrive rather than shrivel and die and am grateful to art for helping me make that choice. My hope as an artist is to help others see and remember light/sparkle when they forget.
Finish this sentence: My art is my...
life.
What advice would you offer someone just beginning their exploration of their own artistic self?
"To thine own self be true" Shakespeare As an artist explore your unique perspective, you are a historian of the time, you are a teacher and a student in the same breath. Your creative process is uniquely yours, don't waste your time judging it against another, claim your own voice. This is a career I'd never encourage, it's ruthless, painful, and gratefully at times it's supremely awesome. Artists are needed in the world, their unique ability to "see" in different thought provoking ways helps our race evolve with awareness, consciousness, and hopefully kindness. If you need to be an artist then do it, be it, live it and never give up. To those that doubt you, judge you, fuck them, keep going and never give up. Also, take some business classes. The cliche of "starving artist" sucks, learn to be a thriving artist.
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