We recently connected with Christine Martell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

My learning process has been a continuous and diverse journey. As a self-employed creative, I acquired a wide range of skills through various means. My journey in visual arts started in high school art classes, which then led me to pursue further education in art school. Over the years, I have consistently taken classes and workshops in different artistic media, always seeking to expand my skillset and be prepared to execute new ideas effectively.

In terms of teaching skills, I initially learned through hands-on experience and gradually honed my abilities. Eventually, I pursued a graduate degree in education to further enhance my teaching expertise. Ongoing professional development classes and participating in practice groups with other educators have been instrumental in expanding my teaching capabilities. Attending conferences, summer institutes, and certificate programs has also been beneficial in staying up-to-date with the latest educational methods.

Developing business skills proved to be the most challenging part of my journey. I made mistakes along the way, but they were valuable learning experiences. While I took many classes to improve my business skills, I found them less helpful than expected. Generic formulas and systems from others often didn’t work well for my specific situation. Instead, I found more success in learning from and collaborating with fellow business owners in peer groups, where practical advice and insights could be shared.

In hindsight, there are two key aspects that could have accelerated my learning process. Firstly, recognizing the importance of a cooperative and supportive learning environment would have been beneficial. I discovered that I thrive best in environments where people collaborate and encourage each other, rather than in overly competitive settings. Art school, for instance, taught me a lot but also subjected me to emotionally challenging critiques, which affected my confidence for some time.

Secondly, I wish I had been more willing to admit areas where I struggled and seek help sooner. Often fear of judgment held me back from seeking assistance when I needed it most. Embracing a more open attitude towards seeking guidance and support could have saved me from unnecessary roadblocks along the way.

Overall, my journey as a creative and self-employed individual has taught me the significance of continuous learning, adaptability, and the willingness to seek help when needed. Through a combination of formal education, practical experience, and collaboration with others, I continue to evolve my skills and push the boundaries of what I can achieve.

Christine, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a passionate and versatile teaching artist with a strong commitment to fostering creativity and self-expression. I hold a BFA in Textiles from Rhode Island School of Design and a MS in Education from Portland State University which is supplemented with hundreds of other workshops and classes. I apply the skills I have learned in a myriad of ways.

As a teaching artist, I offer diverse workshops in Gelli printing, mixed media, upcycling, and sculpture, empowering students of all ages to explore their artistic potential. Through VisualsSpeak LLC, I design visual communication tools and facilitate transformative workshops and retreats that enhance leadership and team dynamics for businesses, non-profits, and educational institutions. My work as a community arts instigator involves collaborating on impactful projects that unite diverse talents and create memorable experiences.

One of the key problems I solve for my clients is building confidence and belief in their creativity. I provide a safe and accessible environment for people to try visual arts, discover their artistic potential, and find joy in self-expression. My teaching approach, combining coaching, instructional design, and leadership development skills, sets me apart from others in the field. I believe in the power of art to inspire and connect, and my passion for teaching and community engagement shines through in everything I do.

I am most proud of witnessing my students and participants evolve from doubting their creativity to discovering their artistic abilities and creating meaningful works of art. I take pride in the impact of my community art projects and the collaboration that brings people together through art.

For potential clients, followers, and fans, I want them to know that my workshops and initiatives are designed to inspire and empower. Whether you’re an individual seeking to explore your creativity or a business looking to enhance communication and teamwork, my diverse skill set and genuine dedication to the arts make me a valuable asset in fostering creativity and positive change.

Have you ever had to pivot?

During the start of the pandemic, my life took an unexpected turn when my father fell gravely ill while on a cruise. Stricken with worry and uncertainty, I found myself on the other side of the country, feeling helpless and desperate to be with my parents. It was a time of heightened anxiety, as COVID-19 testing was not readily available, and my father was admitted to a hospital in another country. My mom managed to bring him home to Cape Cod just as the world shut down due to the pandemic.

Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, I was living on the opposite coast, and my usual source of income, teaching residencies in schools, came to a halt. With my siblings all serving as frontline workers, I felt compelled to do something to be closer to my parents. I made the decision to buy a van, convert it into a camper, and set off on a journey across the country, thinking I would be away for a month. Little did I know that this would turn into an 18-month journey of love and care for my family.

Upon arriving on Cape Cod, I found my parents doing their best to remain strong for me. But beneath their reassuring words of “we’re fine,” I sensed the worry and struggles they wanted to shield me from. My once-active father was losing function rapidly, and my mom was juggling both his care and the responsibility of maintaining the 1860 Victorian house he had lovingly remodeled decades ago.

Every day became a series of problems to solve. Amidst the chaos, I knew I had to find a way to keep my business going, even though I was away from my home and studio. However, the complete pivot to online education that many other creatives had undertaken was beyond my capacity at that moment. Instead, I focused on taking online classes myself, seeing it as an opportunity to increase my skills and prepare for the future.
The longer I stayed with my parents, the more help I realized they needed. With my father’s health rapidly declining, and not knowing how much time he had left, I made the tough decision to return to Oregon to put my affairs in order. I knew that managing a rental property from across the country would be challenging, so I decided to sell my home in Oregon and pack up my studio to move to Cape Cod.

As the pandemic raged on, my father’s health deteriorated, and six months later, he passed away. It was my first experience with losing someone in my daily life, and the physical pain of grief surprised me. My mother, who had spent three years as his caretaker, now had to navigate living alone. To bring some joy into our lives during those difficult months, we welcomed an older dog who was retiring from breeding. Her presence became a source of comfort and love.
Throughout it all, I had a part of my business that generated passive income, as well as some personal and business savings, and I received some pandemic funding. But it was not enough to sustain me through the ongoing stressors and the emotional toll of grief and loss. I found myself deeply grieving, trying to manage the remnants of multiple businesses while not knowing how to move forward.

Despite the challenges, I continued to create art every day. It was my way of processing, of finding a thread of normalcy amidst the chaos. However, marketing, social media, and networking were tasks beyond what I could handle at that time. Teaching, on the other hand, has always been one of my favorite things, so I slowly started to do small classes. It was a way to connect with others, to share my passion, and to find some sense of purpose during those difficult days.
The hardest part has been learning not to beat myself up for not doing enough, for not functioning at the same level I used to. It took time to recognize that I am not a superwoman and that it’s okay to take a step back and grieve.
As life moved forward, and I started to teach more regularly, the daily fog of grief began to lift. But then, tragedy struck again. My brother-in-law suffered a cerebral aneurysm, and I found myself once more sitting at the bedside of a family member as they passed away. Layered grief with multiple losses in succession is complex, and I often felt numb, unable to focus or accomplish much.

Everything took longer than I thought it should. Thinking through the pain of grief was slow and arduous. However, I recognized that I didn’t know how to get to a new place from where I was right then. Rather than continuing with things that felt overwhelmingly hard, I decided to take a road trip. I returned to my camper van and set off to spend time in nature, the place where I find healing when I am not clear enough to work things out in the studio.

Time will tell how it all goes. I am confident that I have the tools I need to work through this challenging time, and I am taking each step one day at a time. I am now scheduling classes for the fall and hope to return to marketing tasks while I am traveling. Though it has been a journey of profound loss and uncertainty, I remain resilient, finding strength in my art and the joy of teaching.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is all about celebrating the incredible beauty of nature and helping people of all ages unleash their creativity and self-expression through art. Whether it’s my teaching artist workshops, community arts projects, or the cool visual tools I use, I’m super passionate about two things: making art accessible to everyone and being inclusive.

I’m all about bringing people from different backgrounds and talents together. I want everyone to feel like they belong and can totally rock their artistic side. And you know what? Our environment matters too. I draw inspiration from nature and it shows in my work. I love using materials responsibly, finding creative ways to repurpose items and reduce waste.

So, I’m thinking about how to create spaces where we can connect, learn, and have a blast creating. I believe art can be a super powerful force for change, both personally and in our community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://christinemartell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christine.j.martell/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinemartellart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinemartell/

Image Credits
Christine Hochkeppel Salty Broad Studios