Christina Baker | You love most everything beautiful to the eye and what I have grown to admire about your eye so much as how authentic it is to “you.” You have such a myriad of taste yet it always goes back to seeing a little glimpse of you in each and everything you share with others.

Have you ever thought of Artsy Forager as sort of a personal home away from home, not just a vehicle to promote art but a place you feel that is part of you and you are the hostess?

Artsy Forager | You know, I’ve never really thought about it that way, but given that George & I are living such a vagabond-ish lifestyle, it makes sense that I’ve crafted Artsy Forager as a sort of home!  I hope that AF feels like a warm and inviting place, where visitors feel welcomed and want to linger over a cup o’ jo and some fantastic artwork.  I’m a nester by nature, so I put my personal stamp on any place I inhabit, even an online home.

CB | I have totally taken note of how much you love nature. You have even seemed to have met the man of your dreams who also loves and respects nature. I have also noticed your taste leans more contemporary yet you show appreciation for such a variety of styles and genres.  Is there any connection to your passion for nature and your taste in the contemporary arts?

AF | I do see my love of nature coming out in the works I’m most attracted to.  Many of my favorite artists find a way to combine natural themes or elements in a thought provoking and contemporary way.  Artists like Rachel Denny, Jennifer Bain and Brenda Mallory come to mind. The natural world is full of abstract shapes and textures, it’s an unending source of inspiration and I’m most intrigued by artists who interpret that world in abstract ways vs. a realistic landscape or still life.  Being outdoors and immersed in nature, away from the hustle of traffic and pressure to be connected to technology refreshes us in so many ways.   I find myself at my most creative and thoughtful after a day of hiking.  George & I have been batting around a long-term dream of opening an artists’ retreat in a gorgeous, secluded location.  Kind of like summer camp for artists and other creative types.  It’s my favorite dream right now!

CB | Do you still own any of your childhood art projects? This could include anything from your college years as well.  If so, have you ever pulled them out and studied them as well as had the urge to create a new body of work in the  present moment of your life?  I think it would be really cool to see a blog post of something you have or plan to create.

AF |  I have stacks of paintings from my college days hanging out in our storage unit in Florida.  My mom and brother/sister-in-law each have several paintings of mine hanging in their homes.  There is a large portfolio full of figure drawings from my senior year in college that I can’t bear to get rid of.  Most of them are on newsprint and have at some point or another been rolled up, so they aren’t in the greatest shape, but I just can’t part with them.  I struggled when I first began taking Figure Drawing with the amazing Paul Ladnier— I got so frustrated with myself, yet he was incredibly encouraging, telling me that one day it would just click.  And that’s exactly what happened!  I grew to love it so much I took 3 semesters of Figure Drawing with him and was probably at the height of my skill level then.

But here’s the thing.  Painting and drawing are skills, like anything else.  They must continually be practiced and developed or they lessen over time.  I haven’t painted or drawn really consistently since college.  Every once in a while I create something I’m proud of, but more often than not, I’m disappointed with my efforts.  I would love to get back into painting, as few activities energize me as much ( when the work goes well, anyway! ).  But I’m also humbled by the amazing talent I see every day.  It would be difficult to keep from measuring myself against so many incredible artists and falling short.  Maybe one day I’ll have the courage to post about my own work.  It’s definitely something I would have to work up to!

To see more of Christina Baker’s work, please visit her website.  A special treat tomorrow– a double takeover with  Christina Foard and Steve Williams!