Featured Artist - CHRISTINA BRUNTON

IN THE TOWER

FISHING TRIO

SOULFUL

FISHERMEN ON LAKE

ROCK PLAYER

TIMELESS BEAUTY

MYANMAR DREAM

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

ELECTRIC HAIR

Meet your artist Ilona Abou-Zolof

Sydney, NSW Australia

Website : https://christinabrunton.art/

https://artistsdownunder.com.au/artists-1/christina-brunton/

My name is Christina and I live in Sydney, Australia. I came to Australia from New Zealand fifty years ago, so class myself as a ‘true blue Aussie’.

How did you become interested/get started in Photo Artistry?

Twenty years ago I learnt how to paint and later I started photography as a way to capture images as a reference for my oil paintings, but work commitments made it hard to find the time to paint. The idea was to take photos of beautiful scenes I saw whilst travelling and later paint them once I had time. I never went back to my oil painting, as photography had taken over. It wasn’t until I discovered Sebastian Michaels’ course on Photoshop Artistry and how photographs could be made into works of art that I was able to merge my passions of painting and photography. It has been a wonderful journey learning new skills and I never want to stop learning. My art generally starts with a theme and often involves a photoshoot. The chosen photo or photos are then enhanced digitally. Creating art work is a way of life that sings to me.

What inspires you or gives you inspiration to create your art?

The inspiration comes from viewing our art community’s art via their social media pages and viewing the Artists Down Under magazines and the Living the Photo Artistic Life magazines.

Do you have a certain approach to creating your art?

I see myself as an image maker, where I plan my photoshoots and what I want to create. I use a two step process for my artistry taking photos and then enhancing through digital artistry. My process for any photoshoot is firstly to choose the theme and then everything else follows from this choice, such as which model for the shoot, what wardrobe and props, whether it is an indoor or outdoor setting and what needs to be included. The second part of the process is the digital artistry.

What does your art mean to you?

Doing art to me is like a meditation, I get so focussed on it that time passes by without noticing. I get such a lot of pleasure from art. I love working with a theme in mind, a series that I am passionate about. I call them Projects of Passion. These series often end up becoming an exhibition and this year I have had an exhibition nearly every month.

Do you think since starting in Photo Artistry it has changed you and if so, how?

Most definitely, my art has changed how I approach every day. I learned to say no to things I don’t want to do. My priorities have changed. I still love spending time with my family, the next favourite of mine is my art and sharing it with my family and friends. I decluttered my life, my emails and my social media activities.

Is there anyone that you draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from our art community (the Artists Down Under family and the Awake/Kaizen family). To name a couple of people who I get a lot of inspiration from are Cheryl Parris and Ilona Abou –Zolof.

Where do you see (or hope to see) your art taking you in the future? What are your next steps?