We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Allen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I was a pre-teen, my mother and I visited an artist’s house. I have no recollection of who this woman was. But I looked at her art and her lifestyle, and I knew then that that was how I imagined I wanted to be when I grew up. This woman had no idea she changed my life completely with that brief encounter. When I interact with people today I often think of how we can influence people in ways we may never know.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been a professional artist for almost 45 years. I started college in pharmacy, switched to engineering briefly, but found that I missed making art too much. A 95 year old woman helped me by telling me that I might never be rich, but I’ll sleep well at nights. I painted mostly in watercolors, but recently have switched to oils-on-paper. I backed into the book publishing. We have a small sustainable homestead with critically endangered Jersey Buff turkeys. I wanted to help save the breed from extinction so I decided to write and illustrate a children’s book about the breed. The book won a national book award. I discovered I am not a writer. But winning an award gets one on the radar screen. Authors are always submitting story ideas to me for illustrating and publishing. I can pick the best stories now. My books have won 9 national book awards now. I still do all the illustrations. I was traditionally published at first but started my own company, Corn Crib Studio & Publishing, because I wanted more control of the whole process.
Since Covid, and a new addition to my studio, I am working in Oils-on Paper paintings. I think I’m doing some of the best work of my life. I find inspiration from our extensive gardens and farm for my paintings. I am the Regional Ambassador of the national Garden Conservancy. And I am a Master Artisan of Kitchen Gardening with the Md State Arts Council. When I’m not painting, I’m working in the gardens or giving farm tours.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being able to visualize helps anyone who has something new, unexpected, or difficult thrown at them. You can train someone to do a task. But it’s better to learn how to think. I have found that all my endeavors weave in out of each other in a mesh, or a circle. The art is inspired by the gardens; the gardens are designed with art styles in mind; I can create Garden Folly buildings, sculptures, or mosaics for my garden. I can think out new creative ideas with the manual labor of gardening. And since my commute to my studio is across my driveway, I am always able to work on what I want to, or need to, because I am here.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Always people see what I do and think it comes easily and quickly. In fact, I take more time to finish a work now than before. I demand more of the finished work. Art is a part of my soul that I bare. As an introvert, that takes courage to put out to others. And I actually get depressed if I can’t do some artwork regularly; it’s necessary to my happiness.
Some people think that I would be attached to art itself after I’ve made a particularly nice work. But for me, it’s the process. I’ve already worked it out…experienced the piece…and I don’t need the physical piece anymore. I “know” it. I take that with me.
I think art can’t be disturbing; that is the opposite of “to create.” Negative art is destruction. For me, art must be uplifting in some way. That was hard for many of us artists during covid. But, finally, art lifted me out when I found new, profound meaning in my artwork from that period.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.CornCribStudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corncribstudio/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CornCribStudio
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/AllensHH/