Cristina Gardiner
Art Forms
Collage, Drawing, Painting, Printmaking
Artist information
I grew up in Italy and studied art for five years at the Florence Institute of Art to undergraduate level, gaining an Art Diploma with Distinction. In the UK, I returned to study Architecture at Birmingham working for several years as a conservation accredited architect in Birmingham, the Black Country and wider Midlands.
I now am landscape painter and my work varies from surreal urban mash-ups to large scale abstractions, all borne from strong emotions in response to place. In my paintings I try to capture the essence of a place visited or seen, even if briefly from a train window. Back in the studio I reimagine the essence of what captured my attention the histories, light, colour and the dynamism of a scene and I try to offer an insight and a way to interpret the world which draws on my architectural experience, my origins and my sense of belonging in the UK today.
I paint mainly with oils but also sketch outside with charcoal, watercolours or inks. I practice printmaking with linocuts, collographs and etching and consider the elaborate processes that printmaking requires, as invaluable tools for visual analysis and development. I am an occasional user at the Gloucestershire Printing Cooperative.
Given a choice I like painting on a large scale abstracts, so if you have a large space to fill do contact me.
Website and social media
mcristinagardiner
www.instagram.com/mcristinagardiner
https://www.mcgart.co.uk