"Rose Shell"
GS&NS: We published two pieces of your art, “The Great Escape” & “Rose Shell”, and I’m always interested in what inspires artists. Was it a specific moment that led you to create these pieces?
Christine: “The Great Escape” and “Rose Shell” were created about a year apart and in different places.
I made “The Great Escape” while still living in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. It was shortly before I got married. I was very excited to marry the man who is now my husband because I love him and his sense of kindness, but I still had mixed feelings about marriage, even during my engagement. Even though marriage should be a union of two souls, there are so many worldly things that threaten to pose a barrier. There are family expectations, religious expectations, and societal expectations at large. I wanted to escape from all of that. I just wanted to marry the person I loved without any politics or judgment from anyone. Unfortunately, that’s just about impossible, but I think we’ve done an admirable job of making a life for ourselves thus far.
I made “Rose Shell” when I first moved to Brooklyn in the spring of 2015. My husband and I lived apart very briefly because I had work up here, but his work was still tied to D.C. Even though we saw each other every other week, it was still hard. We’ve been together almost ten years now, so we’re pretty dependent on each other. I kept thinking about how I could stay grounded in my day-to-day activities without him.
GS&NS: Speaking from your experience as a more established artist, what advice would you give to an emerging female creator? Another way to think about it: what advice did you need to hear when you were first starting out?
Christine: Thank you for the compliment! I still think of myself as an emerging artist, but I’m making strides. It’s certainly helped that I have people who care about and believe in me.
Apart from having a strong support group, I recommend studying the arts as much as you can. Try to give yourself a fuller understanding of the arts and the world. Allow for some healthy cross-pollination.
Apart from that, work at your art. Having talent and imagination is not enough. You must put in the hours. That won’t always be easy, but ease is not art’s reward.
Connect with Christine:
www.wordsmithchristine.com
www.worldofchristinestoddard.com
www.quailbellmagazine.com
Evolution: An Anthology