Painting is more than just a hobby for Christine Higham. For her, art is about portraying what's beautiful in the world and capturing moments that might otherwise be forgotten.
"I paint things that I see, that I love, and I find beauty in the world around me constantly in the people, the places, things in the world, and so I paint to uplift and bring joy to other people. I think there's so many things in this world that are negative and difficult, and art can give you an opportunity to step into a memory or step into a feeling that brings you peace or comfort or joy," she explained.
Higham spoke about a book that had a big impact on her art, being Victor Frankl's "Search for Meaning." She explained the book talked about the importance of art in difficult situations, and how Frankl wrote about his time in a concentration camp in WWII.
One day, Frankl and the other men went to look at a sunrise, and he wrote about how it took them away from their situation and let them get enthralled by the beauty of the sky. This book would greatly shape Higham's art, as she too hopes to portray positivity and goodness to people who might be in difficult situations.
"That's one of the reasons I paint; to be able to take people away from difficult situations or bring them good memories or give them an opportunity to reflect and find peace."
Preservation of what she finds beautiful is also an important aspect of her work.
"A lot of these (paintings) are things that would go away in photo albums or that you would never see again. The animals that I paint, you may never see them again and when I paint them then they're preserved forever."
"Wakulla Spring Herons" by Christine Higham
Art is very important for Higham; even outside of her own style and work she thinks art has a special way of connecting with people.
"There's an artist for every person because everyone sees things differently. So there's always an artist out there that will be pleasing to you because they see things the same way you do. I appreciate all art, and I think that going and seeing art is something that we all should be able to do, and that's why I appreciate it."
This mentality carries over into her art as well, as she portrays her art the way she sees something, but somebody else may interpret the piece in a different way. Either way, she hopes her art connects with her audience.
"Everyone comes to a piece of art with different experiences, different feelings, different ways of viewing it. And so they see it in their own way. I portray it the way I see it, and then they'll see it in their own way."
If you're interested in more of Higham's work or would be interested in commissioning a piece from her, you can contact her through her email:
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Part-time, Permanent, Healthcare