We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Christine Towner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Christine below.
Alright, Christine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
As mentioned, I had many years of working with my Mother with her artistic endeavors. I always knew art was an integral part of my life! I drew and painted for many years before entering art school at age 50. I was supported by my husband to enter art school at age 50, a fairly risky endeavor given I was older than all the students. It was intimidating at first but I was able to befriend some great art friends!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I first entered the field of Dentistry as an auxiliary when I was 18 years old. I went to college for the profession and continued on for a teaching and master’s degree in Education. Subsequently, I then opened a training and development company that helped companies build teams. Personal development assessment tools were instrumental in the training and I continued to “test” as an artist. That was no surprise given I helped my Mom with her porcelain and watercolor painting business for years. I then decided to enter art school at the age of 50 years old. One of the greatest art experiences I had was attending a course on the unique medium called Encaustic Art. Originally used in the 1st Century AD, this medium was used on Fayum Egyptian mummy portraits (100-300 AD) and are intact and on exhibit in major museums. The exciting journey of experimenting and creating paintings that are heated and fused on wood, paper and other substrates continues to inspire me to create expressive, unique, modern art. My clients know that when they purchase an art piece from me it is unique. It will never be re-created given the unpredictable flow on the medium, the translucency and transparency it creates. I am still actively using Encaustic at the age 72 and the opportunities to continue to create a beautiful piece of art is always present.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My current goal is to create art as long as I can. There is not a time that I regret or choose not to feel excited and enthused with the use of the encaustic medium. I plan to be actively involved in the art world for as long as I can and continue to share my vision with those who are just beginning their journey. I truly believe staying creative, goal oriented and disciplined will help me into my later years of life. It is the magical definition of the “purpose” of life that comes from God.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The art field is an extremely difficult and subjective profession to get involved with. A personal development journey I have had to be on is dealing with rejection. The artists that stay within the profession must make sacrifices in the early phases of their careers. There is a lot of prejudice toward artists with the definition that we are not a serious contributor to society. Perception is the rewards are not as tangible such as big houses, expensive cars and businesses that are product oriented. Art in its greatest form stimulates, develops and identifies the emotional intelligence of society.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.christinetowner.com
- Instagram: Christine.towner.18
- Facebook: Christine Towner
- Linkedin: Christine Towner
Image Credits
They are my own creatiions