Who I Am & Where I’m From

 

My name is Carli Christina. I was born in Northern California and was raised there until I was about 7 years old. After a chaotic chain of events that life threw our way, my family moved to Washington state near the Puget Sound. When I was 12, we went BACK to California, stayed a few years, then returned to Washington when I was almost 15. 

 

Crazy, I know! It was difficult but ultimately, my heart belongs to the Pacific Northwest and I absolutely love it here.

 

Where It All Started

 

I began drawing as early as I can remember. Both of my parents were and are very talented in many ways. They definitely encouraged my creativity. 

 

I remember my mom would draw our pet guinea pigs and I loved the level of detail she was able to achieve with a pencil, I thought it was unreal. My dad also had a skill set with drawing and would draw cartoons to make me laugh. My grandpa on my dad’s side did a lot of watercolors with inkwork, and that really captured my interest.

 

I have been drawing essentially my whole life. Since I was a child it helped me observe the world around me. At 11 years old, it became a way for me to understand my feelings better. It was always a way for my voice to be expressed and for me to communicate with myself and others. As I grew up, I would draw every single day in class. Eventually teachers gave up on telling me not to draw on my homework.

 

In 2015, I began college at the Northwest College of Art & Design and got my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Visual Communications (majoring in Entertainment Art and Illustration) in 2018.

 

About My Art

 

My work can often be described as dark surrealism. It’s ominous, but often with a whimsical and unearthly spin. 

 

I am a mixed media artist, but the mediums I typically use are gouache paints and inks. Sometimes I use watercolor pencils and pastels for minor details.

 

My Inspiration

 

I have been absolutely obsessed with Amy Brown and Jasmine Becket-Griffith since I was so young. Fairies and mermaids were my JAM!

 

My grandpa on my mom’s side was Italian and he had many miniature statues of famous sculptures such as The Statue of David, the Pieta, and many more. This opened up my interest in renaissance artwork greatly.

 

As a teenager I fell in love with Mark Ryden’s art. His pop surrealism work gave great commentary, and I loved his style of storytelling.

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Exhibitions

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 One of a Kind Art Gallery / Permanent Collection

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The Art of Tarot IV / Group Exhibition

 

Freaks at the Beach / Group Exhibition

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Wild Artist Pop-Up / Group Exhibition

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Pancakes & Booze / Group Exhibition

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Glow Party / Group Exhibition, Body Painter & Paint Instructor

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Trap x Art / Group Exhibition

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F.A.M. Festival / Group Exhibition & Art Director

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H2O Show / Group Exhibition

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Articles/Media

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"Carli Christina Puts a Spin on Her Art That's a Breath of Fresh Air..."

– Respect my Region, written by Kade Maijala

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