Christina Rosché

About me

I was born/grew up in: Hoquiam, Washington, USA

I now live in: Montreal, Quebec,

I completed my training/education at: I have a B.A. in Environment and Development from McGill University.

What I do at work

There are many parts to my job as an artist. I am a printmaker and painter. My process involves sketching my ideas into visual images. I then refine and edit these. From there I transfer them to an engraving plate where I engrave the design with chisels. Finally, I print the piece with a printing press.

During the creation stage of my work, I am often inspired by nature. I like to be scientifically accurate about my work as it often involves species of plant, animal, or fungi. I often take walks in the forest, along beaches, or through cities to find inspiration. The most important aspect of this process is to be attentive and curious to what surrounds me. There are often details about the world around us we overlook. After these walks, I research what I have seen to know more about my subject.

I also make custom frames for my pieces. This is a lengthy, multi-step process. I buy the planks of wood from the store. I design and shape them with a router saw and cut them at a 45° angle with a table saw. I then glue them together using clamps. Finally, I sand and varnish them. Woodworking, and especially frame making is all about precision. When I am making these, I have to be sure to take specific measurements and measure a few times before I cut anything.

A large part of my job as an artist is selling the art. Math is needed to keep track of the finances of the business. I have to keep track of everything I have spent along the way. I also have to make sure I price the items correctly so that I earn money for my work.

My career path is

When I was in high school writing and literature interested me. Then in university, I studied Environment and Development. After graduating, I decided to go to Mexico to study art. I learned how to do printmaking there. I have now been pursuing that for about a year. I did not know I would go into art all my life, I only decided recently. It has been challenging to earn a steady income. I have been exploring alternatives besides printmaking, such as print on demand services. I have also had to step outside my comfort zone to have more of an online marketing presence.

I am motivated by

Nature gets me excited and inspired. Being able to be creative and inventive in my work is a great privilege for me. I also love the diversity in the work. There are so many different aspects to the job. I am doing something different every day.

How I affect peoples’ lives

Art, for me, is about meaning and beauty. I believe that being around beautiful things has a positive impact on people's moods. I also believe that art should be meaningful and relevant. I make my subjects scientifically accurate. This way the viewer might learn something about the natural world. This is important for me because we overlook so much of the natural world in everyday life. If we pay attention to the details and take time to love the world around us, we would take better care of our planet.

Outside of work I

I love to cook and bake in my spare time. I also try to maintain a regular yoga practice. More than anything, I love to get outside and explore.

My advice to others

Be patient with the time it may take to get started, and keep practicing.