MitoArtisan’s Playtime – Course 2

Christine Knox

I was born in Alberta, but raised primarily in Victoria, British Columbia Canada. Although, I have lived in most provinces of Canada, including the Arctic. Nature has been a huge part of my life, spending many hours either in the rainforest or at the beach or anywhere else I’ve lived has given me a profound love of nature in all it’s forms. Well maybe not spiders and snakes too much. 

My creativity began with spending hours coloring in coloring books, filling every page very carefully. Then I moved onto my first ‘real’ drawing at about 10 years old. These early drawings were centered around my surroundings and family. Pencils and pencil crayons were the first tools I learned to draw with so it’s not surprising that they have become my preferred medium. Although who knows where I’ll go next. 

My favorite subjects to draw from are animals and nature. Capturing the realistic feeling of fur, the smooth or rough textures found in nature are amazing to be able to portray. I primarily work on a few different surfaces when drawing, Dura-lar, Pastelmat, Bristol Board Paper or Suede Matte Board. 

For most of my adult life I had to concentrate on a regular income so I trained as a floral designer and eventually opened my own floral design studio. When I became ill with Mito at the age of 51, I had to close my business. I felt a deep sense of loss and purpose. I turned to my art to give me that purpose back and allow me to be creative in other ways. I began taking commissions for pet portraits with colored pencil. I’ve also started painting with acrylics again. Being able to have a flexible work schedule definitely works for me with Mito. 

I’m very excited to be able to mentor and share my lifetime of learning with students. I’ve always enjoyed teaching a number of different things, floral design, crocheting, knitting, drawing, crafts and quilting. 

To see some examples of my work you can go to my website: www.christineknox.ca.