Christie Marks

“The compelling force behind my images is a thirst to reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary.

I search for beauty in places where it seems not to exist; in seemingly mundane and dust covered places, objects, and even people. To me, this basic connection is where our human heritage begins.” Christie Marks

Christie Marks has lived in California her entire life. She was born in Long Beach, California, the daughter of a hard working small businessman from Iowa and a homemaker from Kansas. Although Christie was considered creative, especially in regards to design, texture and color, she showed no interest in drawing or painting. In fact, it was not until Christie was in her 50’s that she took her first fine art class; Drawing I at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Christie did have experience in the applied arts prior to taking that first drawing class at the Junior College. Her college degree is in Interior Design and a certain amount of drawing is involved in that coursework. As time went on and Christie began to advance in her interior design career, she used sketching more and more to communicate ideas to her clients. The sketches eventually led to full presentation drawings and Christie’s interest in fine art was born.

Christie took every drawing and painting class available at Santa Rosa Junior College, some several times! Eventually having exhausted the available coursework, Christie began to branch out, taking classes from local instructors and enrolling in workshops throughout the Bay Area. Finding and working in her own studio space in Santa Rosa’s SOFA Arts District made the transition complete.

Although Christie enjoys painting, she says that she loves mixed media work. Her process involves layering paper bags, butcher paper, and multiple original drawings and paintings done on translucent paper. The subject matter is contemporary but nostalgic and often based on her own photography. The end result is a body of oftentimes haunting works that convey a beautiful melancholy that touches the heart.

Solo Exhibitions

2016 ‘Spellbound, Morocco From Photos to Easel’, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Gallery III, Sebastopol, Ca.

2015 ‘Torn Asunder’, Rosenblum Cellars, Healdsburg, Ca.

2012 ‘Texture Play’, Atlas Coffee, Santa Rosa, Ca.

Selected Group Exhibitions

2015 ‘The Left Coast; What Does it Mean to You?, Marin Society of Artists, Ross, CA

Juror: Lauren R. O’Connell. Third Place Award.

2015 ‘Peoples’, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, Ca.

Juror: Jenny Lynn Hall.

2015 ‘Close to Home’, Christie Marks Fine Art Gallery, Healdsburg Ca.

2014 ‘Urban, Suburban, Rural’, Fulton Crossing Gallery, Santa Rosa Ca.

Juror: Vicki Kumpfer.

2014 ‘Play It Again Sam’, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, Ca.

Juror: Sharon Spain.

2014 ‘Small Works’, Graton Gallery, Graton, Ca.

Juror: Bob Nugent.

Selected Open Studios

2016 ‘Art Trails’, Sonoma County, California. Juried. Sponsored by Sebastopol Center for the Arts.

2015 ‘ArtWalk’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2014 ‘10th Annual Winterblast’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2014 ‘ArtWalk’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2014 ‘Art at the Source’, Sonoma County California. Sponsor: Sebastopol Center for the Arts.

2014 ‘Fool for Art’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2013 ‘9th Annual Winterblast’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2013 ‘Vine Art’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2013 ‘ArtWalk’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2013 ‘Small Works’, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2012 ‘Art at the Source’, Sonoma County California. Sponsor: Sebastopol Center for the Arts.

Art Related Experience and Activities

2016 Chairperson, Fool For Art’, SOFA Arts District

2014 – 2016 Program Director – Christie Marks Fine Art Gallery, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2014 – 2016 Member at Large, Art in Public Places Committee, City of Santa Rosa

2015 Project Manager, SOFA (Santa Rosa Arts District) public art mural

2015 Chairperson, 2015 ArtWalk , SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2011 – 2013 Chairperson, Fund raising and publicity, Winterblast, SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa, Ca.

2001 – 2010 Interior Designer, commercial, residential and healthcare. Los Angeles, Fresno and Santa Rosa, Ca.

Arts Education

2012 – 2016 Independent painting study with artists Chris Henry, Martha Wade, Brooks Anderson and others.

2007 – 2014 Santa Rosa Junior College: Drawing, painting, color, art history.

2001 California State University, Fresno: Bachelor of Arts, Interior Design.