Meet Christy Ross | Artist & Art Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christy Ross and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christy, what principle do you value most?
I believe in the principle that all people, younger, midlife, and older need to explore their creativity. It’s not embedded in our culture to take the time, invest in the supplies, and do something creative! We are always rushing around and barely stopping for a moment for ourselves. Especially as a parent, in midlife, it can be hard to sit down and work on a new painting, write a story for my art, or even write a letter to a friend. As we are constantly bombarded with the culture of smartphones, iPads, and laptops (yes, I’m writing on one right now), we can get sucked into the abyss of technology. Using our own two hands to make something constructive, beautiful, and even thought-provoking, can many times, be an afterthought. With my Paint & Sip classes and teaching to my students, I hope to awaken the creativity in each person attending and that their experience builds their self-esteem, curiosity, and artistic skills.

Kids start as confident creators and dig right into their art projects. Art is a solid way to express who they are. As we drift into midlife, it can be easy to question our natural ability to create. My classes provide a fun outlet and even a sanctuary for the creative process. Many older adults tend to have a lot more confidence and are ready to try anything! In my classes, with the paintbrush, the possibilities for creativity are endless.

In my life and business, Christy Ross Art, I make a solid effort to balance teaching and creating art. Sometimes just for myself, a commission, and other times for the public. This April I finished a mural at the East Clairemont Athletic Area for the Clairemont Girls Fastpitch organization. Someone from the board of the organization contacted me after she saw a utility box proposal on social media featuring Clairemont Girls Fastpitich starring my niece Addy, a player in the organization. I had borrowed photos from my sister Nicole Sargent of my niece playing softball as a reference. The person from the board said they wanted this design for a mural at the park. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to work on this public art and ended up finishing it at the end of April of this year.

During this process, I was in negotiations with a member of the Clairemont Town Council to paint one of the utility boxes. They approved my fifth design which features a sunrise, kite surfer, horse, and dogs. Over a span of five days and about eight hours, I finished painting the box on Ingulf, just off Morena. As I painted I would ask random people, including one sanitation worker named “Q” if he could take my photo and video of me while working on the utility box. The next day I left a stack of Christy Ross Art stickers where I knew he would find them. He, too, loved art. I wonder where those stickers ended up!

Summer is now upon us! As I just wrapped up the school year, teaching at St. Didacus Parish School in Normal Heights and Pacific Coast Academy, along with private clients, I look into writing a new chapter. I am now teaching my Paint & Sip events at four locations: Clairemont Coffee, Lemon Grove Coffee (sister location to Clairemont Coffee), SD Art Advisory in Mission Hills, and Deano’s Pub in La Mesa. For these events, I market myself and sell spots mostly on my website and through Venmo. If someone wants to pay cash and they email me in advance, I will save them a spot. I’ve never had anyone flake! I still look to balance making art for myself, commissions, public art, and creating my art lesson plans for kids and adults. I get creative with my designs for the events but also how to market each one. I recently made an Instagram video with the Mayor of Lemon Grove to promote my Paint & Sip events at Lemon Grove Coffee. The mayor, Racquel Vasquez, who I met at Lemon Grove Coffee’s grand opening, graciously offered to help me promote my painting events. We met up there to create a video of us having a mini art class, and she ended up making the video/reel herself. It was complete with cute music and the date for my next event. Also, creating fresh designs has shown its worth as my “Coronado Bridge Sunset ” painting inspired by the photography of my friend Ron Hazlewood attracted 20 new painters! It was a packed house at my first Paint & Sip at Deano’s Pub in La Mesa. The crowd was of all ages, so much fun and so creative! I just can’t wait for all the teaching I get to do this summer. It recharges me and inspires my creative artistry.

Finally, I’m getting back out to Shelter Island with the Shelter Island Association this summer. This solid group of artists and I get to sell our art on the weekends and meet people from all over the county, country, and world. Meeting new people is one of the things I love about being an artist. Seeing their reactions to my art, selling art, and hearing how my art relates to their life is amazing. Last weekend I met a man who saw my “Kailua” painting and talked about how wonderful it was to visit while in his twenties there. He said there were a lot of parties with a big smile. Here’s to bringing back memories, creating new ones, and making being creative the new normal.

Something unexpected, yet rooted in creativity, was the addition of earrings to my art products. I had recently had some stickers printed and the printer had misunderstood my instructions so they came out super small. I was out to lunch with my friend Sherry Davis and asked her what I was going to do with all of these stamp-sized stickers! She offered “Make them into earrings!”. I loved her idea and contacted my friend and earring designer Tess Holechek of Frenchy Lane Crafts and the rest is history. We worked together on the designs and created sets of earrings from four of my favorite paintings from the stickers. Just printer mistakes, they were no more. We have since sold several pairs of earrings.

Being creative and sharing how to be creative is something I enjoy doing. Getting to mentor students who also have dreams of being creative is certainly a passion of mine too! I was very fortunate this year to celebrate the spirit of creativity and business with my eighth-grade student Monica Huynh of St. Didacus Parish School and intern Serina Lim of HTH Mesa. I got Monica her first one-woman show at Clairemont Coffee in May. I had her write an artist statement and come up with the prices for her art. I framed and matted her art. Over the month, she ended up selling four of her seven works of art, mostly anime. When I told her at school that her first painting had sold she was absolutely shocked but also full of joy! I am delivering her check from the coffee shop owners today to the school for her to pick up.

I met Serina Lim at the Clairemont Garden Tour while I was showing and selling my art. She had been on the search for an internship to learn from. She had always wanted to be an artist and art teacher. She asked if she could shadow me for two days, fulfilling her requirements for the assignment and I said “Of course, just email me.” A week later she did, and I got permission from my principal for her to shadow me at school for a day. My principal, Kim James, who is very supportive of what I do, said “Of course”. Serina shadowed me for a whole day teaching students at St. Didacus and then one day teaching Pacific Coast Academy students in their home. We also went on a mini tour of my public artwork, toured Prinkworks with owner Kris Volk in Bay Park, we talked about money, how I run my Paint & Sips, and work on art while running a business. I also shared the value of earning a teaching credential in art in our discussions.

Exploring my creativity and helping others explore theirs is a passion! Whether it’s creating earrings from stickers, helping a group of twenty people in a pub, art gallery or coffee shop create their first painting, or helping students follow their creative dreams, I feel drawn to the spirit and principle that people need to explore their creativity at all stages of life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is whimsical and vivid. My art takes you to an inspired place. I’m most excited about sharing my ability to be creative with others. Teaching art to people of all ages brings me such joy and satisfaction. I really want to make being creative the new normal. Being creative is so good for our brains and our souls. I make art that makes you feel relaxed and joyful! My challenge has always been balancing teaching art and making it. I want to plan a collection of paintings for a show and I also want to create a set of new designs for Paint & Sip events. There’s just not enough time in the day!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take my friend on a hike at Torrey Pines State Preserve. The view of the ocean is like a painting itself. Then I’d go to Cafe 21 in University Heights for a Toasted Eggplant Crumpet. Followed by an acai bowl and Mango iced tea with frozen mango chunks from Clairemont Coffee. Followed by another hike at San Dieguito Park just off of Lomas Santa Fe and I-5. In the evening we’d go to nighttime zoo at the San Diego Zoo and maybe a nice walk around Balboa Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this Shoutout to the owners of Clairemont Coffee and Lemon Grove Coffee, Casey & Hannah for hosting my first local art show two years ago which led to selling my cards, prints, earrings and now having Paint & Sips at their two locations. They have also featured two of my students’ art. Because of their faith and support in what I do creatively, I now teach in four public locations: Clairemont Coffee, Lemon Grove Coffee, SD Art Advisory and Deano’s Pub in La Mesa. I also teach private events.

Website: https://www.christyross.art

Instagram: christyrossart

Facebook: Christy Ross Art

Image Credits
Nicole Sargent
Emily Trejo
Amanda Woodley
Sara Hess
Christy Ross