Biography & History |
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"My art is my response to the environment; I have to put it on canvas. Making a painting enables me to have another experience with the world; heightening my senses and appreciating the moment once again.
I seek adventure everyday; even in the mundane. Whether traveling or home, in Chicago, I am always tuned in to my surroundings. There is richness in nature and the built world that stimulates me. “
The adventure, the challenge, the process; are all reasons why Christina Body is compelled to paint.
At an early age, Christina had two strong influences; art and unconventional sports. Her Great Uncle and First Uncle were two of many creative family members whom she spent much time with growing up. She experienced first hand the passion and joy that came from making charcoal drawings, watercolor and oil paintings, sumi ink drawings and woodcarvings. Her Uncles were her first inspiration to make art from personal experiences and to open her mind to imagine. These experiences planted the seed that would lead Christina on a life long journey to find the art in her.
Swimming, sailing or scuba diving; hiking, mountain biking, motorcycling or snow boarding are all sports Christina learned as a young girl and continues to participate in. Her enthusiasm to seek out adventure sports gave her the opportunity to swim with sharks, sail the Mackinaw Island Yacht race, hike the Appalachian Trail, snow board glaciers and cross country tour, with her father or husband, on two wheels. It's these experiences that have heightened her appreciation for nature and the built world; in turn sharpening her sensitivity to see, feel, hear, smell, taste and ultimately make art.
Christina’s formal training as an artist began when she received an art and athletic scholarship to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Graduating with a BFA in painting and two minors; theatre/set design and photography, she continued her career as an artist and athlete. Christina continues to explore the world with a paint box at hand. She has traveled for private commissions throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Her urban landscapes have earned her many awards and participation in juried shows and national plein air painting competitions, including 'Plein Air Easton' in Maryland and 'Plein Air Festival Door County' in Wisconsin. Her work has been featured in many periodicals including the 'Artist's Magazine' and reviewed in the Chicago Tribune newspaper. For three consecutive years, Christina was a selected artist for The Hubbard Street Mural Project, in Chicago, where she designed four murals, mentored teens, and painted three exterior 12’ x 12’ murals on the Union Pacific Railroad embankment at Hubbard and Racine St.. She has painted numerous public and private large-scale murals in the Chicago land area and she is an art instructor at Concordia Avondale Campus. Christina’s work is represented in corporate, public and private collections throughout the United States and Mexico. She exhibits her work in galleries and juried exhibitions nationally. Christina resides in Chicago with her husband Jake Goldberg and son Emil.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
Specialization: oil painting
Minors: theatre/scene design and photography
CONTINUING STUDIES
2007 David Leffell, Workshop
2004 Ken Auster, Workshop
1998-2007 The Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art, Chicago, IL
1997 12-week landscape study, Key West, Florida
1997 American Academy of Art - selected courses, Chicago, IL
1995 12 week landscape study, Jamaica, West Indies
ASSOCIATIONS
Oil Painters of America
National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society
Plein Air Painters of Chicago
Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts
Woman Made Gallery
Chicago Artist’s Coalition
PRESS & PUBLICATIONS
2008 Chicago Tribune review by art critic Alan Artner
solo exhibition 'Chicago in a Blink' (see 'links' page to read the review)
2008 American Artist Magazine "Plein Air Painting in an urban environment" Feb. 2008
2007 'I See Chicago' children's guide book to Chicago. Paintings and words by Christina Body
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
2008 Cedarburg Annual Plein Air Quick Paint Competition, Cedarburg, WI
Award / Honorable Mention
2008 'Chicago in a Blink' Solo Exhibition, The Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago, IL
2008 The Gold Medal Show, The Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago, IL
- Award / Honorable Mention
2007 'Plein Air Easton' National Plein Air Painting Competition and Exhibition, The Academy Art Museum, Easton, Maryland
2007 Andersonville Plein Air Painting Art Exhibit, The Andersonville Historical Society & Museum, Chicago, IL
2007 The Chicago Plein Air Painters Fine Art Exhibit, The Palette and Chisel, Chicago, IL
2007 The Gold Medal Show, The Palette and Chisel Academy, Chicago, IL
2006 Cedarburg Annual Plein Air Painting Competition & Exhibition, Cedarburg, WI
2006 Orleans Street Gallery, Pheasant Run Inn, St. Charles, IL
2006 The National Restaurant Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
2006 The Chicago Plein Air Painters Fine Art Exhibit, The Palette and Chisel, Chicago, IL
2005 The Palette and Chisel, Chicago, IL
2005 The Cedarburg Annual Plein Air Painting Competition & Exhibition, Cedarburg, WI
- Award / Honorable Mention
2005 Dimensions in Art 2005 Fine Art Exhibit, Lake Forest, IL
2005 The Chicago Plein Air Painters Fine Art Exhibit, The Palette and Chisel, Chicago, IL
2005 The Hubbard Street Muralists Art Show, Chicago Artists Month Exhibit, Chicago, IL
2005 Festival Italiano on Daley Plaza, Chicago, IL
2004 The Cedarburg Annual Plein Air Painting Competition & Exhibition, Cedarburg, WI
2004 ‘1926 Roger Brown Exhibition Studies Space’, The School of the Art
Institute of Chicago “Crosswalk” exhibit Chicago, IL
2004 Woman Made Gallery “9th Annual Members Show” Chicago, IL
2004 Stone Soup Gallery, “Plein Air Landscapes” Key West, FL
2004 Cumamoto Studio, ‘Chicago’ plein air landscapes, Chicago, IL
2003 The Cedarburg Annual Plein Air Painting Competition & Exhibition, Cedarburg, WI
2003 Manhattan Arts International “Healing Power of Art” Competition, New York, NY
- Award / Honorable Mention
2002 The Art Institute Gallery, “The Chicago Open” Chicago, IL
2002 Cumamoto Studio, ‘Snake Dance’, Chicago, IL
2002 Woman Made Gallery “8th Annual Members Show” Chicago, IL
2002 - 1996 Eclectic Junction Gallery, Chicago, IL
2001 Cumamoto Studio,’ Wild Life’, Chicago, IL
2002 - 1995 Around the Coyote Art Festival, Chicago, IL
2000 Blue Dolphin Gallery, Key West, FL
1998 “Art on the Walk”, Italian Art Festival, Chicago, IL
1998 David Leonardis Gallery, Chicago, IL
1997 Chicago Yacht Club, Monroe Harbor, Chicago, IL
- Award / Cover Award and Exhibit Chicago to Mackinac Island Yacht Race
1995 Harold Washington Library, Chicago, IL
1995 Tryall Resort Gallery, Montego Bay, Jamaica, W.I.
1995 Ambiente Gallery, Montego Bay, Jamaica, W.I.
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Prentice Women's Hospital, Chicago, IL
Rachlis, Durham, Duff & Adler, LLC, Chicago, IL
Roscich and Roscich, Naperville, IL
International Paper Co., Lemont, IL
Rosebud Restaurants, Naperville, IL
Boehringer Ingleheim Pharmaceuticals, Warrenville, IL
SELECTED MURALS
2004 Century 21 Team Real Estate Agency, Naperville, IL
2004 Hubbard Street Mural Project “Polar Bears” Chicago, IL
2003 Hubbard Street Mural Project “Black Rhino” Chicago, IL
2002 Hubbard Street Mural Project “Three Horses” Chicago, IL
2002 Adobo Grill, Wells St. Chicago, IL
2001 Aliveone Bar, Cincinnati, OH
2001 Toscana Pizzeria and Gelatoria, Elmwood Park, IL
2001 Body Image Training Gym, Hinsdale, IL
1999 Midwest Center for Advanced Imaging, Naperville, IL
1999 Violet Café and Wine Bar, Chicago, IL
1999 PePe’s Restaurant, Oswego, IL
1998 Aliveone Bar, Chicago, IL
1996 Saint Matthew Evangelical Church, Lemont, IL
1995 Potters Place restaurant, Naperville, IL
1994 Santa Fe Building, Chicago, IL
1993 Minerva’s Café, Carbondale, IL
TEACHING & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
2006- 2007 Concordia Avondale Day School, Art Instructor, Chicago, IL
2003-2004 Chicago Department of Aviation, ‘Arts in Action’ performance painting and music event
2002-2004 Mentor and Instructor for kindergarten-high school students in designing and painting murals for ‘The Hubbard Street Mural Project’
2001-2003 Naperville United Way community art displays; ‘Giraffe’, ‘Carousel Horse’ and ‘Great Bear’ painted fiberglass animals
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
Sacred Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
Stone Soup Gallery, Key West, FL
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