Location: United States
Christine Oliver is a California based artist and has been exhibiting since 2000, participating in several juried art shows, Silicon Valley Open Studios and exhibiting at her gallery, Treasured Art in Sunnyvale, CA. Her formal art training began with a BFA in printmaking, sculpture and drawing from the State University of New York in Binghamton and courses at the University of Cincinnati's acclaimed School of Design Art and Architecture (DAA).
After completing her undergraduate work, she received a degree in graphic design from Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati, OH and worked as an artist, illustrator and designer at George Tassian Design, a local advertising agency in Cincinnati. For more than 20 years Ms.Oliver applied her art background and her MBA courses to direct Marketing Communications programs for medical device, biotech and high tech companies in Silicon Valley.
Ms. Oliver works in watercolor, acrylics and collage and had taught classes at the Palo Alto Art Center in Palo Alto, CA, in the Sunnyvale/Cupertino and Los Altos/Mt. View Adult Education Programs, and at DetatiArt.com. She has just completed a series of multimedia collages using polaroid images and three dimensional totems, whimsically depicting roosters and chickens in unusual settings. Many of her paintings depict scenes from her travel in India, China, Kenya, Tanzania, Costa Rico, Venezuela, Chile, and Brazil.
2003 was the Year of the Rooster, according to the Chinese calendar and my husband and I attended Santa Cruz county fair where we visited the poultry exhibition. I fell in love with the chickens and roosters. I had never seen so many different sizes, shapes and colors before and my imagination took off. I never tire of depicting chickens and roosters in watercolor, acrylics, and collage.
This Chick's a Knockout takes its title from the image of the green boxing glove, the trim female swimmer and the 3D heart which hangs on the chicken.
On my way to Bodega Bay on the Pacific Coast, I stopped at a local nursery and noticed a number of chickens wandering through the plants. I snapped a photo of one of the chickens with a black plant container in the background. Later, in my studio, I added a polaroid negative and collage elements to tell a story. One of the elements is an antique etching of a fish coming in from the left of the painting. As a final touch, I added a small glass fish to the chicken and I love the element of surprise as people view the collage and find the elements which account for its name.
This painting is my homage to the environment and the delicate balance between enjoying it and using it up with endless population explosions. The majestic Yosemite Falls is in the background and the pocket watch is a sublte reminder that if we do not protect the environment it will not be there for us in the future.
This rooster was so "in your face" it suggested the title. Again, I added collage elements and used a polaroid negative to create interest and texture. I create the watercolor painting first and then add the collage images at the end. Each of the four paintings in this series carry three dimensional totems that add yet another layer to the complex compositions.
This acrylic painting was done quickly from a photo supplied by a friend of mine who is a photographer. Each time Beth travels, she shoots chickens and roosters for me to paint. This one if from Arizona. I loved the colors of this rooster and his confident control of the barnyard.
“ Here's Looking at You Chick”
This strange little chick contorted her body, looking through her legs at something behind her. This pose fascinated me and inspired this collage. I found a curious photo of a man looking intently at something and decided he would be the object of the young chick's interest. This is truly a mixed media creation. First I painted the watercolor of the chick, then I added pastels to increase the drama and lastly, I added the staring man and the small classical painting.
These rare roosters were raised for the Emperors of China and the longer their tails, the precious they were. Much like the fingernails of Chinese empresses and concubines. My sister-in-law asked me to create a piece that acts like a muse so stimulate and encourage her writing. The symbols selected for this piece are all personal for Lianne and they represent the books and cultures that have been important to her art.
I ran across this amusing chicken in an ad for some service. She had just laid an egg and the yolk was a precious yellow gem. I loved the expression on the chicken's face so I recreated it as a watercolor and added the "precious" yolk in the final collage.
I had just finished a series of paintings of Venice and was fascinated by the canels and bridges. As I painted this rooster, I envisioned him as one of the cocks that may have roamed the city years ago. The bridge and buildings in the background create a background for this collage.
This rooster reminds me of a very proper English gentleman in a Houndstooth jacket.
This elaborate crest of this rooster attracted me.
This bird is actually a rooster but he looks like a vulture to me.
I love the way this rooster is fluffing his feathers. Although it is difficult to see, he has feathers on his feet. Acrylic painting.
This rooster reminded me of a person who could care less what is happening around him. Acrylic painting.
I love the way this rooster looks as he is about to fly off. I imagine the power in those wings. Acrylic painting.
This rooster is moving fast. I tried to give a sense of his movement by blurring the lines around him in this watercolor.
I painted this watercolor of a rooster and then added the music score, an inset of one of my other watercolors, the eucalyptus leaf and the skeleton of another leaf in the collage. I love using natural objects in my collages.
I looked at this blond Polish rooster and all I could see was Phyllis Diller, the crazy comedian who wore mini a-line dresses and a wild Einstein hairdo with a long cigarette holder back in the 70's or 80's (I think). She was very funny, outlandish and off-the-wall. This rooster has the same aura.
This cock owned the barnyard and made no bones about letting everyone else know it. Acrylic painting.
This chicken looked like a ballerina to me, as she gracefully pointed her toe. Acrylic painting.
The frenetic orange and yellow background suggested the title for this acrylic painting.
These landscapes are primarily watercolor with some collage and mixed media pieces. They are painted from photos I have taken on business trips and personal world travels.
“This Chick's a Knockout”
“Something's Fishy”
“Time is Running Out”
“What a Cocky Attitude”
“Strutting His Stuff”
“Phoenix Rooster”
“Sunnyside Up”
“Hen in Venice”
“Houndstooth Hen”
“Golden Cock”
“Steely Eyed Vulture”
“Ruffled Feathers”
“Total Indifference”
“Taking Flight”
“Keep on Truckin'”
“Sing for Your Supper”
“Is that You, Phyllis?”
“King of the Roost”
“Pas de Deaux”
“Hen on Fire”
