Christina Body

Urban landscape artist, Christina Body is known for her unusual viewpoints and vibrant scenes of Chicago. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and minors in Photography and Theatre, from Southern Illinois University, where she was a Fine Arts and Athletic Scholarship recipient for four consecutive years. Her formal training began with an art scholarship under the mentorship of professor emeritus Robert Paulson at Southern Illinois University. It was in Carbondale, IL that she had her first plein air (outdoor) painting classes. It was Robert Paulson that taught his students how to capture fleeting light, compare values and temperature, and see big shapes rather than focus on detail. Uniquely, he also inspired his students to paint their reaction to and feelings towards their subject/environment rather than paint exactly what they saw. Christina continues studies at the acclaimed Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago and studies with renowned artists from around the world. Inspirations include: Kim English, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Wayne Thiebaud, and early twentieth century artists of the Ashcan School.

“When painting plein air (outside from life) or in my studio, from studies, sketches, memory and photos, I am passionate about capturing dynamic city life and the radiant energy it emits. I strive to communicate a confident, fresh, intuitive, quality in my work. I am forever intrigued by the powerful presence of the city (Chicago) and I tend to focus on large heavy, structural manmade objects juxtaposed by soft natural elements such as sunlight, fog and rolling waves on the Lake.”

Christina’s award-winning studio and plein air paintings have earned her participation in prestigious national juried exhibitions, national plein air painting competitions, museum shows, scholarships and numerous private and corporate collections and commissions, including Northwestern Memorial Hospital Corporate Collection and The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Christina was written about and a ‘Featured Artist’ in PleinAir Magazine,  ‘Artist to Watch’ in Southwest Art Magazine, ‘Featured Artist’ in LA Art Guide,  featured in American Artist Magazine,  “Chicago In a Blink”- solo exhibit at The Palette and Chisel Academy was reviewed by Chicago art critic Allan Artner of the Chicago Tribune- (a first for the P&C), recipient of the PleinAir magazine Award of Excellence at Plein Air Richmond, and the honor to hang her paintings in The White House during the Obama administration. Christina is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, International Plein Air Painters, and a founding member of the Plein Air Painters of Chicago.

Represented by three galleries and online at  www.christinabody.com.

Christina resides in Chicago with her husband Jake and sons Emil and Walter.