Canadian artist Chrissandra Unger’s paintings cannot be overlooked. They are intense. They are neither 2 nor 3 dimensional, but have their own dimension. While I look at the paintings, I wish I could see the real ones. I’d like to experience the texture, the colors, and the shapes. Here’s what comes to my mind spontaneuously: I think of contemporary glassart with an élégant classical touch, as there is this bas-relief structure. I also think of Paul Gauguin’s paintings, because of the colors which are deep and vibrant.

Deep ultramarines cohabit with burnt sienna and quinacridone gold. Lush greens are surrounded by red-orange, burnt umber, and olive. Those colors all coexist, while black lines emphasize the shapes.

« Intense » is only a word, but you can expérience what it feels like by looking at Chrissandra’s paintings. They are like mirrored images of tropical fertile landscapes freshly washed by a summer thunderstorm.

 

My Space, My Music

 

Calm after the storm

 

Dinner for Two

 

How long have you been an artist?

First of all, thank you Kim for asking me to be a part of your magazine this month! I suppose I’ve been an artist all of my life! I’ve always loved drawing since I can remember. I started painting professionally in 2000 after I had my first show in Calgary, AB. One day I just decided, “other people have shows and sell their work, why not me?” I had been experimenting with a variety of textures using dry wall mud after some home renovations, then began building up a body of work around this. I went looking around and I found an artist warehouse/studio space to have my first show in.

 

Because I Love You

 

Little Pink Roses

 

Is your art your full-time career?

I am also a pianist and have taught piano for many years, not very much teaching since 2000 as I was very busy with full-time painting. So, art was my full-time career. It takes a lot of drive to make a full time living at it, I over-did it and decided to slow down a bit. I’ve become very excited to try something a little different, something to give back to others. I’m going to work on my Masters degree in Expressive Arts Therapy at the European Graduate School, which I am very excited to begin this summer.

 

Evening on the coast

 

Coffee and Morning Paper

 

Furore, Italy

 

Do you have favorite places you like to create?

My favourite place to create is in my studio. I like the quiet time. Sometimes creation occurs not with my brush, paper, or canvas, but in my mind and soul. When I am outside walking in the forests of British Columbia, I feel like I am creating... maybe like I am being re-created. I have tried painting plein air, but it doesn’t really appeal to me. I like to experience the outdoors by taking photographs - I’ve really begun to enjoy framing my experience and capturing it digitally, as well. Sometimes I use the photo for a painting, and sometimes solely enjoy it as a photo unto itself.

 

Strong, Silent Type

 

un Mercato a Riomaggiore

 

The friendly giants look up, way up

 

What materials do you prefer?

I have always preferred acrylic paints on board. I never liked the feeling of the springing canvas! But things change. I am now embracing different things and trying painting on canvas again. I’ve been doing a lot of painting on paper, too. I’ve been doing a lot of process painting work and I find that this is something I have needed to do to loosen up and find newness in myself and my work.    

 

Storm watcher

 

Beacons of the Bay

 

Braveheart

 

Where/How are you inspired?

I am definitely inspired by nature, particularly trees and time spent by the ocean. I am also inspired by sounds and smells. Inspiration can be found in the tiniest things, and often at the strangest, most unexpected moments.

 

Shall we dance?

 

Georgia on my Mind

 

How do you know when your piece is done?

Sometimes I just know it, feel it, that it’s done. Usually, though, I take a few days away from a piece, then come back to it - I will know, it’s an intuitive thing. This is actually an interesting question, because when I look at a piece that I painted some years ago, it never seems finished and there are usually things I would change on it, but I have to realize that that was me then and let it go.

 

 

Seaside

 

Vernazza Harbour

 

Do you work on one or more pieces at a time?

I like to work on a few at a time. I stand up and use the wall as my easel. Because there is a drying time involved in the different steps I take, I work on usually 5 or so pieces until they are closer to getting finished. Then each painting needs its own time and focus to concentrate on  the particulars.

 

At sea

 

Euphonic dream

 

Thinking of you far away

 

If you were not a painter/sculptor/photographer, etc. what would you do?

I would be a professional traveller and ‘wandering educator’! 

 

Fishing boats for Riomaggiore

 

la gelateria nella notte

 

View from Riomaggiore Harbour

 

How can our readers find and purchase your art?

You can contact me directly to purchase my art:  chrissandra1[at]gmail.com.  
You can view my work via:

chrissandra.com
Chrissandra’s Blog http://chrissandrasart.blogspot.ca/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chrissandra/10081519311

You can find me on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/canadianartista
Instagram: http://instagram.com/chrissandra000#

 

Piazza Marconi - view from the harbor

 

Red wine and ocean breeze

 

Seaside

 

 

Want more extraordinary artists? Check out our learn.ist board:

 

 

Andrea Hupke de Palacio is the Arts Co-Editor for Wandering Educators. Born in 1957 in Giessen, Germany, Andrea began studying drawing and painting at an early age, encouraged by her family. She studied arts at one of the private Paris art schools, the Ecole Supérieur d’Art Françoise Conte and graduated as a textile Designer in 2005.  
 
For a short period, she discovered the Fashion and Interior Design World, with its précision, style and finesse which helped her to develop her love for the détail. Today she uses these skills to develop her painting. For her sketches and drawings, as well as her paintings she uses different media(s) on various materials, with liberty and intuition. Watercolor, Pencil, Gouache, Ink, Egg-Tempera, Acrylic on Paper, Canvas, or textiles.

Andrea’s paintings can be found in private collections througout Europe and she regularly organizes exhibitions and participate in art markets in Germany and France. She is also the co-founder of Atelier 325, together with Kim Rodeffer Funk, a Washington, DC-based artist.

 

 

 

All photos courtesy and copyright Chrissandra Unger