CHRISTIE OWEN

“With a playful and organic feel, my paintings utilize a variety of techniques and applications to create a sense of enduring tranquility in our modern world.”

BIOGRAPHY

A native New Yorker, Christie Owen has lived in Oklahoma since 1997. Her 2D and 3D works are included in local and national museums, galleries, public venues, private collections, and retail locations. Her most recent solo exhibition, "Surroundings" was at The Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Her work is represented by Lilac Gallery in Manhattan, New York and by 1515 Lincoln Gallery in Oklahoma. Her paintings are featured on both the TV series “Better Call Saul” and the film “Hosea.” She is currently completing a large-scale painting for BC Clark Jewelers at the Classen Curve in Oklahoma. She continuously exhibits her work around the world and is also a highly sought after commission artist. Christie earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from State University of New York College at Buffalo.

ARTIST INSIGHTS

How are your background and life experiences connected to your art?

In high school, my parents took me to their friend, Charlie Clough’s art show and the idea really solidified then. I went to college with the intention of becoming an artist but I was also encouraged to attain a technological degree. So, I graduated with a B.F.A. and a minor in Visual Communications. Graphic Design became my main creative outlet for over a decade but I continued to draw and paint as a hobby. The idea of being a professional artist became a reality in 2011 when I co-founded Fringe women’s art group and became an apprentice for sculptor, David Phelps.

Who are some of your biggest artistic influences?

Artists like Gerhard Richter and Agnes Martin inspired me to take my own approach to my art. I also love Eva Hesse, Donald Judd, Robert Ryman, Ellsworth Kelly, and Richard Diebenkorn to name a few.

How have you developed your artist career?

For the most part, I work intuitively and just explore the primacy of creating. I let the media guide my process and the compositions perpetually change in relation to various time and life experiences. In order to keep evolving, I search for visual solutions on one piece that I can transfer to the next. I focus on developing depth, space, form, color, and light while building and subtracting layers until I find balance.

What does your artistic work intend to communicate to its audience?

I want to sensitize and draw the viewer in to notice the physicality of the painting surface, color shifts, and forms. I hope to transfer a zen-like vibe to the audience, fill a void with something beautiful, and offer a visual escape from the technological overload we all experience.

Does your work comment on any current social or political issues?

It is my intention to keep all social & political issues out of my art in order to focus on finding tranquility in the present moment.

Do you have a particular story that stands out from your career as an artist?

I brought in the highest sale ever to date on a single art work sold at Oklahoma Contemporary's ART NOW event.

What is one thing you would like your audience to know about you?

I love to read and study art movements and artist biographies. I also look at a lot of interior design and architecture magazines. I take photos of sidewalks, industrial objects, shadows, landscapes and anything else that grabs my attention. Music in the studio is a must. I listen to everything from post-punk and post-jazz to hip-hop and reggae.

Which current art world trends are you following?

None. I try to not look at trends so much.

Why have you chosen to sell your work in the 1515 Lincoln Gallery?

It's the best gallery in Oklahoma! OT is a highly organized gallery actively marketing a diverse range of top artists from Oklahoma and around the globe.

WATCH

Learn more about Christie Owen and her artistic practice in an installment of 1515 Lincoln Gallery Conversations.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Christie Owen creates art to escape the technological realm. With themes ranging from texture and light to nature and seasons, her work explores primitivism and modernism. Created with a minimalist approach where texture and light become the subject, her paintings utilize a variety of techniques and applications to invite the viewer to notice surface qualities within organic and geometric compositions. Creating art allows her to slow down and capture a visceral experience. With a playful and organic feel, her paintings utilize a variety of techniques and applications to create a sense of enduring tranquility in our modern world.

“I hope to transfer a zen-like vibe to the audience, fill a void with something beautiful, and offer a visual escape from the technological overload we all experience.”