June 23, 2025 • 63 mins
What happens when you create art purely from your soul, without worrying if it will sell? For Christi Meril, that authentic approach became the foundation of a thriving artistic career she never planned to have.
In this captivating conversation, Christi shares how a simple act of love—creating a handmade menorah for friends—unexpectedly launched her journey as a multidimensional artist. Despite no formal training, she's now a resident artist at ALG Fine Art in the Dallas Design District, creating distinctive mixed-media works that blend urban industrial elements with natural beauty.
"The one thing in my life that I always feel brave about is my art," Christi reveals, explaining how creativity became her refuge from people-pleasing tendencies. This freedom allowed her unique artistic voice to emerge, one that incorporates unconventional materials like nails from old mining ruins—a connection to both her Colorado hiking experiences and her late mother's similar habit of collecting these seemingly ordinary objects.
Christi's story beautifully illustrates how community involvement shapes artistic growth. Through her work with DIFFA Dallas, Dwell with Dignity, and the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center, she's not only shared her talents but built meaningful relationships that continue to enrich her life and work. "If I can't give back with my art, then why should I make art?" she asks, highlighting the profound connection between creativity and service.
Perhaps most inspiring is Christi's journey to embrace her identity as an artist despite lacking formal training. For anyone who struggles to own their creative identity—saying "I paint" instead of "I'm an artist"—her experience offers a powerful reminder that authenticity outweighs credentials every time.
Ready to be inspired? Listen now and discover how following your creative instincts, rather than market demands, can lead to both artistic fulfillment and professional success.
Christi's Profile
Christi Meril Contemporary Multidimensional Fine Art
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
they did a small show together.
Um, and anna said I have thisconcept, I want to have a, have
resident artists, I wanteveryone to, you know, be in an
open space.
And she was like, do you haveanybody you would want to call?
And mel Melissa said I have oneperson I will call.
And she called me.
And that was when she said youknow, would would you like to to
(00:33):
go to the design district, like, and I was like, yes, I will
follow you anywhere, cause she'swe had become such good friends
that I knew that if it wassomething she was interested in,
then I would be interested init.
So, like, that like reallychanged the path of my
professional journey right there, because I became a part of ALG
(00:58):
.
That was in the summer of Juneof 2018.
We moved on to Dragon Street atthe end of 18.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
And Welcome to another edition of For the Love
of Creatives podcast.
I am Dwight and I'm joined byMaddox.
(01:26):
We're the Connections andCommunity guys, and today our
featured guest is the lovelyChristy Merrill.
Welcome, christy.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Hi guys, I'm so happy to be here.
Thanks for asking me to joinyou.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah, this has worked out so great.
We're happy to have you here.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Of course.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Now, Christy, we have known you for the last couple
of years.
I believe that we actually metat a creatives event that we had
on during a summer.
It was a summer gathering at agallery in Deep Ellum and it was
a huge blowout and I rememberum, you, um.
(02:10):
You made quite an impression onus there.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah, Uh, and I know thatyou've done so much in the way
of giving back to the communityand you have some incredible
pieces that speak to nature andtouch on themes of things,
(02:33):
themes of modernity, and reallyget you to question, and I would
I feel like I could do nojustice and describing who you
are and what you're about.
So could you fill in any of ourlisteners to let them know
about you in a couple minutes?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, so again, I'm Christy Merrill.
I live in Dallas, texas, andI'm a multidimensionary artist
and I love to create withpaintbrushes and with my hands,
and so that's kind of as I'veevolved as an artist, going from
just traditional paint oncanvas to starting to express
(03:15):
myself through shapes andsculpture.
So I guess I really love beingimmersed in nature and the
creativity that comes out of me,and so, anyway, that's kind of
where that all started and wecan go into that later.
But but I do, I just love toexpress myself through my work.
I have a family.
(03:36):
I have a husband that's amazing, his name is Scott.
I have two daughters, sam andMolly, and a son-in-law, aaron,
and we have four dogs, and welive in East Dallas and I work
in the Dallas Design District.
I'm a resident artist at ALGFine Art, which is located on
Dragon Street, and I've beenthere since it opened at the end
(04:00):
of 2018.
And so, yeah, that's a littlebit about me.
There's more, but my art is abig focus in my life at this
point and I just love alsogiving back to the community.
I'm on the board of DIFA Dallas.
I'm in my second year on theboard.
I was on the Style Council in2023, raising money for aid
(04:24):
service organizations here inNorth Texas.
I have been involved with Dwellwith Dignity.
I've served as art chair forthem for at least twice and then
also volunteered with them asan art consultant and DCAC and a
few other things.
So I do love giving back to thecommunity and I feel like if I
can't give back with my art,then why should I make art?
(04:45):
So that's a little bit about me.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
What a great lead in Christy.
I love how much you just putout there the whole community
piece, because of course that'swhat Dwight and I are about.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, yeah, I think that's why we connect.
Yeah, I think that's why weconnect.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
One thing that I think people would be of, will
be, would be really interestedin, would be how it is that you
got started on your path, likehow did you?
What sent you in this direction?
How did we?
We get to see the fabulousChristy Merrill we know and love
today?
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Thank you.
Well, I did not go to artschool.
I'm completely self-taught, Iwas just minding my own business
.
I've always been super creative, whether it's like the interior
design of our homes or paintingthings in my children's walls
and when they were growing up,and things like that.
So some of our very bestfriends their son was having his
bar mitzvah very best friendstheir son was having his bar
(05:49):
mitzvah.
This was 20 years ago and I wasat a stoplight one day and I,
just my head.
I was always going and Ithought, you know, I want to do
something different for theminstead of buying them a gift
that they are like family to us,and I wanted to do something
for the parents that were ourfriends.
And so I came up with this ideaof creating a menorah in the
shape of stones on canvas.
(06:10):
And I'm not Jewish, I have aJewish family and a ton of
Jewish friends, but like Iwanted to add Hebrew, so I had
to like figure out like how toadd a word in Hebrew.
So I came up with this idea andI went and got a canvas and I
created this menorah and it wasreally fun just to do the
(06:31):
research on the different typesof menorahs and everything.
So I found out like the sevenbranch menorah is different than
the Hanukkah branch menorah,which is like nine branches or
nine candlesticks, and the sevenbranches like the oldest I
think it's the oldest symbol ofJudaism.
So I thought, oh, this isreally cool, so I did it.
And then I got some Hebrewstamps and I figured out how to
(06:55):
create the word light in Hebrewand I attached that on parchment
onto the painting.
So anyway, it was just a giftfrom my heart, a gift of love,
and I'd done some paintingbefore, but just nothing like
professionally at all.
And this was a gift.
And the next thing I knew I wasmaking menorahs for so many
people and I ended up in theJewish art fair at the Meyerson
(07:18):
like a year later.
So that's kind of where it allstarted.
And then I just continued tojust kind of explore different
symbols with stones, withstacking stones, and then just
kind of fell into evolving intoabstract art.
And then just one thing led toanother and as my kids were
(07:41):
getting older, it allowed me tohave more time to pursue my art
in a professional way and Iwould say in the last like 10
years especially, I've been ableto really focus in on.
You know my work 100 percent.
So that's where we are now.
So that's kind of how it allstarted.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
So what I'm hearing you say is that you didn't
really set out to be an artist.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
No, I always say that if I had set out to be an
artist, I would never have beenan artist, because I am
naturally a people pleaser.
That's just kind of who I am,and I've been learning to grow
out of that.
You know, I think we peoplepleasers went from children on.
If you're really lucky, yourealize that that's not a
(08:31):
healthy pattern, and so I've,you know, always I've been
working towards that and I'vegotten so much better.
Um, but if back at you knowcollege days, if I would have
pursued art, I would have beenfreaked out about what direction
you know professor would have.
If I would have pursued art, Iwould have been freaked out
about what direction you knowprofessor would have wanted me
to go into.
This is right.
This is wrong.
Is my apple perfect?
(08:53):
You know like all those thingswould have been really it would
have killed my creative insight.
You know like I think what'sbeen really fun for me?
It's like the one thing in mylife that I always feel brave
about is my art.
It's just something that Idon't make art to please people
(09:15):
and that's why my art is reallydifferent.
But it's so freeing and it'sjust my happy place.
It's very therapeutic and Ijust have a lot of bravery when
I'm approaching my art, and I'mnot always that way in other
parts of my life.
So yeah, that's kind of how ithappened.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
That's a really profound juxtaposition that you
just laid out, because you justsaid that you suffered as a
people pleaser your whole life,and the art is the one area
where it's all yours, it's onyour terms, it is what you want.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, and I'm really lucky to have I've been
surrounded by some really great,creative people that have
supported me and encouraged me.
I think, especially if youdon't go to school for art, a
lot of times it's hard to callyourself an artist and I now
easily call myself that but ittook a while it took about 10
years for me to feel comfortableusing that word.
(10:15):
But, yeah, just having peoplearound me that encourage me to
pursue things that maybe theyhaven't seen before, and tell me
yes, tell me it, yes, it's theright direction, keep going.
And I think I've been reallylucky to have that as well.
And I have a very supportivefamily my kids, my husband and
and other members of my familyas well.
(10:37):
So it's, it's just, it's been areally joyful journey Overall.
A really joyful journey overall.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Wow, there's.
There's two things that arereally standing out for me.
One is how many times in anygiven week we speak to creative
people who have a hard timeowning who they are.
They have a hard time saying I'man artist, or or I'm a dancer
or I'm a poet, it doesn't matterwhat it is.
(11:04):
It's like they'll say in fact,I just put out an article today
that was about this very, verytopic I write poems, but they
won't say I'm a poet, I dance,but they won't say I'm a dancer,
I paint, but they won't say I'man artist.
I'm a dancer, I paint, but theywon't say I'm an artist.
(11:30):
It's such a common theme.
I would like to hear that day,when you finally said the words
I am an artist Maybe you saidthem to yourself, maybe you said
them to someone else whatshifted for you that day when
you made that declaration outinto the universe?
Because that's what it is, whenyou, the first time, you say I
am an artist, that is adeclaration out into the
(11:53):
universe.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Yeah, I don't have a specific day, I do think it is.
I think it started about 10years ago and I had gotten into
some studio space outside of myhome for the first time and I
think just being like welcomedinto a community of artists and
(12:16):
seen as an equal was really isdefinitely I feel like it.
Maybe not it was a single dayor time that I remember, but I
think it was a.
It was a gradual like processwhere I started being surrounded
by professional artists andthey respected me and respected
my work and then I went fromthat studio space to the
(12:38):
Continental Gen and Deep Ellumand then, you know, and then I
was asked to join ALG and Ithink it was probably before I
went to Continental Gen.
I would say that I just Istarted feeling comfortable, I
started selling my work.
I think I think, when you knowit's just all those things mixed
together, it's not like youhave to sell your work to be an
artist, but it was like I thinkit was a combination of being
(13:01):
befriended by artists.
I did a women's group that waswomen artists that I met with
like once a month.
You know, I just starteddeveloping relationships with
people I really respected asartists, and and the fact that
they embraced me and what I wasdoing, I think really gave me
the courage to feel like, ohyeah, I'm an artist too.
(13:23):
I'm part of this club too, youknow.
So.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And that's beautiful.
You're touching on notes ofcommunity.
I loved how, even with your,your origin story, you were
talking about how it was soimportant for you to give of
yourself to that close familyfriend and you mentioned your
family.
And you mentioned beingembraced by this artist
community and I I know thatthrough your work with with
(13:52):
Diffa, you, you, you're touchingother communities.
Could you tell us a little bitabout all of the different
communities that you're involvedin?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Yeah, it's really funny a little bit about all of
the different communities thatyou're involved in.
Yeah, it's really funny.
I guess sometime during my artjourney I decided to start
giving back with my art, and itwas probably around 2011.
And, honestly, I wouldn't betalking to you today if I hadn't
started down that path.
And it wasn't something thatwas calculated, I actually just
(14:28):
it was a way to like give my art, give back to something I
believed in, and then I met somereally wonderful people and
started developing relationships.
And, honestly, that's why I'mhere today talking to you guys,
because I back and and I got toknow some of the most beautiful
people.
Because I think when you get toknow other people that have
(14:49):
similar desires to give back andsupport the community, then you
like just find some beautiful,wonderful people that journey
with you in life, um, andprofessionally as well.
But so some of the things thatI have been um focused on,
focused on, I've done one of thefirst art shows that I did
called Summer Colors.
(15:09):
Jenny Grumbles started it andit supports Scottish Rite
Hospital.
So I love doing things thatsupport children, so that is
that's something that I've donealmost every year.
I think I missed it last year,but I've done it at least for 10
years, mixed during that timesupported it, and then Dallas
(15:33):
Children's Advocacy Center issomething that I've become more
involved with in the last fiveyears.
I served on the curatorialcommittee.
For two years I've donated myart.
Alg has been a sponsor, so allof us all the resident artists
at ALG were involved and we haveour own gallery wall so we
(15:55):
donate original pieces thatwe've created just for that
event for Art for Advocacy,which is their big fundraising
event.
Dallas Children's AdvocacyCenter serves children and their
non-offending family membersthat are dealing with criminal
level child abuse in DallasCounty.
(16:15):
They serve about 10,000children a year, which is just
gut-wrenching to think thatthere's that many criminal level
abuse cases every year and theywalk with the child and their
family like through the legalprocess.
They have therapy, they reallybring them through all the
(16:37):
layers of recovery and thejustice that comes with it as
well through the courts, andthey just do amazing work.
That is incredible.
So those are some things withchildren.
Homelessness is another thingthat I'm pretty passionate about
, so I got involved with Dwellwith Dignity and Dwell with
(16:57):
Dignity has some art-basedgiving back where they have
something called Thrift Studioonce a year some art-based
giving back where they havesomething called Thrift Studio
once a year and artists in theDallas area donate original work
and it's sold at Thrift Studio.
And Dwell with Dignity providesinterior design for people
coming out of homelessness, andchildren are also always
(17:18):
involved in the picture.
It's always a family, and Iactually have been art chair
once individually for the ThriftStudio and then ALG was art
chair another time, and then Iserved as an art consultant with
them for about a year and ahalf, where I would go in and
meet with the clients that theywere serving and find out what
(17:41):
type of art would work in thespace and help come up with
ideas to let volunteers createart, or sometimes I would make
art.
So, and then DIPA kind of justfell into my lap and so I have
so many people in my life thatare impacted or not served by,
(18:02):
necessarily, aid serviceorganizations.
But I knew I wanted to dosomething that focused and again
, it's not something that onlyimpacts the LGBTQ plus community
, it is also, you know, othercommunities as well but I wanted
something that supported somany, many people right on the
whole spectrum, and I and I feltlike I just got an opportunity.
(18:26):
Honestly, ken Weber reached outto me I had I had donated work
to AIN, which is an AIDS serviceorganization, got to know some
people through for their galgalas, and then, um, anyway, I
was pulled into diffa by kenweber and jr hernandez and they
asked me to be on style council,which was really funny because
(18:48):
I am not a model as you can see.
Um, I am five foot one and um,I don't walk runways.
But that's part of the stylecouncil for diffaa is, you're an
ambassador for Diffa in Dallasand they have about 15 people
that are selected to be in thatrole for the year leading up to
the gala in the spring, and soyou raise money for the
(19:13):
organization and then part of it, once you reach your goal of
raising money, you walk therunway.
So I was just like, do I haveto walk the runway?
Can I just raise money?
Like I really don't want towalk the runway, but you know it
was great.
It pushed me out of my comfortzone and I got down the runway
in really tall platform shoes,so it was definitely out of my
(19:34):
comfort zone, and so then afterthat, I was asked to join the
board and I have been jacketchair for the last two seasons
and we have that coming up soon.
It's every spring.
So jackets we curate like 60 to70 jackets.
We have different designers andartists that create them in
(19:57):
Dallas and outside of Dallas,and it raises money for this
incredibly important cause.
Yeah, that's not gone away,it's still here.
I think some of those peoplethink HIV, aids, oh, and that
like already taken care of, it'slike.
No, it hasn't been, and I justam really proud to be a part of
that board.
I've met some of the mostamazing people and they're so
(20:21):
inspiring and and just I'm likewhy am I here?
Cause you guys are so awesome.
So, anyway, those are some ofthe things I've done.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Well, and that's it's .
It's really inspiring howyou're willing to do so much
outside of yourself.
You're willing to do so muchoutside of yourself.
And you know, I I know that alot of the creatives that we
talk to struggle with theinertia that comes from not
being able, not having what ittakes to just have that forward
(20:53):
movement for the next step.
But it sounds like you are sofocused on things outside of
yourself that you're not hauntedby those demons.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Oh, you know, I haven't ever thought of it that
way, but I will say I mean,knock on wood, I don't struggle
with my creativity, I don'tstruggle with creative ideas or
getting.
I've never been in a placewhere I'm like, oh, I'm stuck, I
can't do it, and maybe it isbecause I do have so many other
things pulling at me that Ican't really navel gaze too much
(21:27):
when it comes to to mycreativity.
I celebrated, it's like areally joyful slice of my life
and, yeah, I just try not to bestretched too thin is sometimes,
uh, something I struggle with.
But oh, and another thing as afounding board member of dallas
galleries for advocacy, um, andI rolled off the board, um, in
(21:49):
january after, uh, two and ahalf years because just again
was spread too thin.
I was like, okay, okay, I can'tdo all of this and make art.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Christy, your story is such a testament to the value
of community and you have sobeautifully illustrated how
community has benefited from allof the things that you
participated in and put energyinto.
But it's a two-way street, so Iwould love to know what was
some of the value that youreceived in those communities
(22:31):
from your participation.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, I think the thing that always I've said it
once, once, I think I've said ita couple of times I think
relationships for me, um, thepeople that I've met, like you
can't, that's just a pricelessthing um, I they've changed my
life and like they've justthey're just a huge part of who
(22:57):
I am.
I think the relationships arethe biggest thing for me, that
the biggest blessing, um, Ithink the other thing is, um
I've had some, you know,tangible opportunities to get my
work out and be seen um bypeople in the community through
donating.
You know that's, that'ssomething that's always a nice
(23:19):
thing when you get a commission,or you know someone comes to
the gallery, or you know thingslike that that are like a
professional plus right.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Do you feel like it opened up doors for you that
maybe otherwise would not havebeen opened?
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh, yeah, I like again.
I think, through therelationships that I've built,
um, those doors have have opened.
I I mean, uh, I met someMelissa Ellis, and I met gosh.
It was like 2011.
We met at a, something that wehad donated to Um I can't not
right now, it's blanking on whatthe name of the event was.
(23:57):
Anyway, we met and then, a fewweeks later, met again because
we both donated to Dwell withDignity and then became fast
friends.
And you know, other artiststhat I love and adore are also
still in my life from that earlytime.
And then Melissa met Anna Kearnsin the spring of 2018.
(24:20):
I was at Continental Gin.
Melissa was painting out of herhome at that time and she met
Anna and they were doing, theydid a small show together.
And Anna said I have thisconcept, I want to have resident
artists, I want everyone to bein an open space.
And she was like do you haveanybody you would want to call?
(24:41):
And Melissa said I have oneperson, I will call.
And she called me.
And that was when she said youknow would, would you like to to
go to the design district, like, and I was like, yes, I will
follow you anywhere, cause she's, we had become such good
friends that I knew that if itwas something she was interested
in that I would be interestedin it.
(25:02):
So, like that like reallychanged the path of my
professional journey right there, because I became a part of ALG
.
That was in the summer of Juneof 2018.
We moved on to Dragon Street atthe end of 18.
(25:24):
And it just has been that'sbeen my professional like
launchpad since then.
And so, yeah, I mean, I knowthat I don't know if that's
that's kind of like the answerfor me, it really is.
There's other people I couldlist that just they have helped
shape my life like in a greatway, and it's been people within
(25:46):
the organizations andleadership or, you know, other
volunteers and things like that.
So, yeah, I think that's people, people.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Melissa Ellis is a force of nature because we know,
other people who she haschanged their lives as well.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
So, yeah, what a beautiful story.
Yeah, she's been like my sister, so we've journeyed through a
lot together.
Yeah, a lot of life, a lot ofart, yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Christy, I'd like to back up for a minute.
You said something back there,probably 15 minutes ago, that
caught my ear, when you said Icreate art that I want to create
.
I don't create art to pleaseother people.
I'm probably not wording itexactly.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yeah, yeah, no, you're good.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
And I'm curious because this is kind of a topic
that we certainly hear from timeto time this artists and of
course it doesn't apply just toartists, it applies to almost
anybody that creates.
It doesn't matter what you'recreating.
There's always this voice inyour head that's like creating.
(27:02):
There's always this voice inyour head that's like, okay, do
I create what I know will sell,or what I'm pretty sure will
sell, or do I create what I love, with no regard to whether it
sells or not?
Now, you've clearly chosen thepath that you create, with no
regard to whether it sells ornot, and what a beautiful
position to be in.
But I guess what I'm lookingfor here because I think that
(27:24):
there are people out there thatneed to hear this Are you often
surprised at the things that youabsolutely created because you
loved them and they had meaningto you, and they did sell?
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yes, I feel like all of my work, whenever my work
does sell, which is important tome like it's something.
This is, you know it's, it'ssomething that is a goal of mine
is to sell my art and to helpsupport my family, um, but it
often does surprise me and itgives me so much joy.
I think, um, because I I knowthat the work I create people
(28:02):
don't get in their car and drivethinking I want what she
created in my space, like I,just it's, it's not like, it's
not like a beautiful landscape,right, it's like that.
That are beautiful, I lovelandscapes, but it's like.
It's like somebody might bethinking, oh, I'm going to go
look for I want a landscape overmy you know, my sofa or in my
(28:25):
dining room or whatever, whichis great, I love, I love them.
But when they walk in and seemy work, it's definitely not
that, and so I'm always likeit's always.
I guess it just brings me somuch joy when people connect
with what I'm trying to say orjust however.
They like the direction, theytake the piece in their head and
(28:48):
it's really, really exciting.
I'd like I have a show comingup that's opening this weekend
and there's a piece and it'scalled Close Knit, k-n-i-t.
And my husband has Parkinson'sdisease and he is a hero, a
superhero, and he's like aMichael J Fox situation early
(29:13):
forties out of the blue, ourkids were really little.
Out of the blue, our kids werereally little and he just, is
always.
Just, doesn't let it hold himback.
He's just an incredible man andhuman.
And so about a year and a halfago he taught himself off of
YouTube how to knit, because ithelps with his fine motor skills
(29:36):
.
He doesn't have a tremor, hehas.
His diagnosis was really hardto figure out what was going on
because he doesn't have thestereotypical, like Parkinson's
symptoms, so he taught himselfhow to knit.
So now he knits these beautifulscarves Like my daughters have.
I have some, my daughters, hissisters, like any, my sister
(30:00):
have some my daughters, hissisters, like any, my sister, my
niece, like our niece, I meananyone who will take one.
He, like you know, knits.
So there's a piece called CloseKnit and I took some of the
remnants of his knitting and Imixed it with my sculpture out
of paper and I actually there.
We're on Dragon Street streetand several months ago a car had
(30:20):
its window bashed in and therewas, there's still auto glass.
It's kind of like now in thecrevices of dragon street along
with gravel.
And one day I walked out and Ilooked down and the sun was
hitting it and I was like that'sreally pretty.
So like I scooped it up and Iadded that to my painting.
Um, this painting, and it's justvery urban, it's very
industrial, it's not beautiful,but it is beautiful and to me
(30:46):
it's just represents likeperseverance and like holding on
to each other and just beingintertwined, like as a couple.
But then also our children arerock stars and like we're just a
really cohesive, tight littlebundle and like we've really
(31:07):
been able to like not stop life,even though having a diagnosis
like that as a at a very youngage, um, we've continued to
pursue life as full as we can.
So that's like one of my piecesand I I love it and I think
it's really beautiful.
It's it's a lot of white andblack and there's some pops of
(31:27):
fluorescent and it's, and thenyou've got the glass and you've
got you know, you've got allthis stuff and it's it's just.
Anyway, I can't wait to see whoends up connecting with the
piece.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
You know I have dabbled with painting at times,
but I have never gotten farenough in.
I never did it in order to sellpaintings.
I didn't care whether they soldor not, it was a hobby.
But I just.
(32:04):
I'm listening to you and I'velistened to so many creatives
and I have this feeling thatwhen we create from the depths
of our being whether it's comingfrom a place of pain and
struggle and trauma that you'retrying to release, or whether
it's coming from this great lovefor somebody in your life who
(32:25):
knits these beautiful scarves Ihave to believe in my heart of
hearts that what will draw thebuyer to your piece is not
whether it's commerciallybeautiful or not, but it will be
that energy behind what createdit.
I'm wondering, because I do seeso much struggle what words of
wisdom would you have for anycreative whether it be an artist
(32:45):
or an architect or an interiordesigner doesn't matter when
they're trying to decide thatquestion of do I make what I
know will sell or do I make whatis coming out of my soul?
What words of wisdom would youhave for them?
Speaker 1 (33:03):
I think and all the industries are different I think
, being a visual artist, I havea lot of freedom right.
I have a lot more freedom to dowhatever I want to do, versus
maybe an architect would or aninterior designer, but there's
still wiggle room in there and Ithink that go for it, like just
go for it, because I think thatthat's what makes us different
(33:26):
and unique and, again, you know,I it makes it.
It does make it harder, like inways, but there's so much joy
and I think it.
And then you have thisindividuality that I hope people
think of when they think of mywork.
I mean, I can't, I don't knowwhat people think when they
(33:46):
think of my work, but I hopethey see it as something
different, as something that'sunexpected, that does come from
my soul.
And I feel like a lot of timeswhen people come into our space
at the ALG through the years,they feel a sense of energy in
that space and I think a lot ofit is because we create what's
(34:07):
hanging in that space so much ofit, unless we have visiting
artists in but there's so muchownership and love in what we're
doing and what we're makingthat I think you do feel that
energy that you speak of and Ihope that, um, that just
translates to people when theysee my work, and so so to other
creatives I would say, like,just do what you love and your
(34:31):
vision and take risks, and Ithink that the people that are
open to allowing you to do thatare the are, will be so blessed
and joyful in what you do createand and they'll just it'll, I
just hope, like my pieces and Ithink every artist does like.
If someone buys a piece of mine,I hope that they love, they
(34:52):
want to pour this themselves aglass of wine or bourbon or
sparkling water or coffee orwhatever and just stand there
and look at it.
You know, like there's justsomething about it and it's not
because I'm a great artist.
I don't think I'm a greatartist.
I think that I am a veryauthentic artist because of what
I create.
I I'm obviously not technicallytrained, but I hope that my art
(35:16):
like, speaks and and providessomething special you know to
people.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I would argue that because you are an authentic
artist, you're a great artist.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Thank you, yes.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
You know, christy, I want to champion you and suggest
that you let go of what youjust said, the words, because
I'm not technically trained.
I mean, you do what you loveand it sells, and you're in a
(35:52):
very well-known gallery.
I mean, does it get me better?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
you're in, you're in good company you're, I am in
great company.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
I'm like I said.
I've been surrounded by someincredible people and I continue
to be, and, um, I just, I justam so grateful for them because
I wouldn't be where I am withoutpeople saying do it, you know,
go for it.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
And now I feel now.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
I feel now I feel like, oh yeah, I'm gonna fucking
go for it.
Like I don't.
I feel very, um free, a lot offreedom now in my creativity,
because I think I've finally hitthe place of like internally,
where I've hit a place of justlike, yeah, make it, just make
(36:40):
it, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
So I just want to say that, historically, some of our
most profound composers, someof our most profound painters,
some of our most profoundmusicians, have been people that
were not technically trained.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Right Dave.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
Grohl, y'all.
Yeah, it's just y'all.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah, it's just, I think, when it comes from inside
, of you.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
You got natural what somebody else has to go and get
trained for.
I mean from where I'm standing.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
I mean from where I can stand.
Do I need to finish thatsentence?
From where I'm standing?
You know where I'm going withthat right?
Yeah, thank you.
Well, you got a God given giftthat somebody else had to study
under someone else to end.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Basically I don't want to say copy, but no, yeah,
I think it's great for peoplethat study, have studied and
attended our school.
I admire them.
I think it's wonderful.
I just know, for me and itwasn't even like I literally
fell into creating art I mean,again, for my whole life I had
doodled and painted and donethings but like I really did
(37:50):
truly fall into like, oh, thismakes me happy, oh, I have a
passion for this, oh, like youknow, and kind of figuring out
ways for it to fit into my lifeat a time when my kids were
really young.
And then, and continuing toallow it to give me therapy and
direction, I'd only beenpainting for a couple of years
(38:12):
when my husband was diagnosedwith Parkinson's.
So it's been such a lifelinefor me.
So it's been such a lifelinefor me.
There's no better feeling thanwhen I can lose myself in
creating, and I think a lot ofcreative.
I think that's just humans,we're all creative, everyone's
creative.
I mean whether it's cooking orgardening or you know all the
(38:35):
different things, scrapbooking,I mean there's creativity all
around us.
You know anything, we all needcreativity.
But for me it's visual art andI just can get lost in it and
it's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
You know, I think the one thing that separates people
from those that don't reallythink they're creative and those
, you're right, we are allcreative, but what separates us
one from the other is ourability to own it.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
It is so important to own it.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
And sometimes we just need to have a little bit of
direction and you know, havesomeone pointed out to us allow
people to, let us see what we'reblind to right, like my sister.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
My sister is I'm a very type.
I say there's not a type b, I'ma type z, my sister's a type a.
Um, she's an academic, she'sbrilliant, she's amazing.
Um, she lives in the dc area.
But she is always like I am notcreative at all.
I can't do any interior design,I can't, you know.
I don't like to go shopping forclothes, I don you know.
(39:42):
But my sister is one of thebest cooks she will ever
experience and she doesn't.
She's like you know, oh, thisis this Bon Appetit, you know
recipe.
I mean, like that's just herform of creativity is being in
her beautiful kitchen andcreating these incredible meals,
and she doesn't do it just whenpeople come over.
(40:03):
That's what I.
I like to cook, like when it'sa creative act and I'm I'm doing
something for other people.
Like I enjoy bringing people inour home, not every, every so
often, it's not something allthe time, but like that's when I
like to cook.
I do not like the mundanecooking every day.
My, my husband and I eat outway too much.
Um, I'm very satisfied going toTaverna and ordering pasta and
(40:25):
coming home and just vegging mysister though they loved to fine
dine and stuff, but she almostI bet five, six days a week
she's creating something thatyou would eat at any fine dining
restaurant.
So I do think creativity it'sjust there's so many ways around
it.
So I always tell her you arecreative.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
And on the topic of being a true artist, I think
that there is a realm, evenwithin the visual arts, where
you can be a spec artist right,where, if you're just a cog in a
machine and you're justdesigning things as you're told
you're creating things to orderwe can detect how there's no
(41:10):
soul, there is not a light there.
That's the kind of thing thatyou could probably move off to
have done in an automatedfashion and have no people
involved at all, whereas thethings that you create we can
look and see that there is thatinner light, there is something
(41:30):
with substance.
We can reach out and touch,something that puts us in touch
with the divine.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Yeah, oh, wow, thank you, I have never seen anything
that even remotely looks likeyour work.
Your work is very unique andit's very recognizable.
In many ways, it's very eyecatching.
Yes, so I'm going to take us ina little bit different
(42:01):
direction.
I have a question.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
Yes, take us in a little bit different direction.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
I have a question.
Yes, what story do you wishthat somebody would ask you to
tell that you have never told?
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
Hmm, what do you think?
Take your time.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
Yeah, take your time.
Yeah, um, maybe, like I don'tknow, maybe the story of like
how my art, like where the rootsof it come from, um, I've been
doing a lot of reflecting latelyon that and it's pretty simple
(42:48):
but it's powerful for me becauseit's where my art kind of lives
.
Um, I love urban settings.
I, when I was little, I wouldhave my parents, uh, drive me to
downtown Dallas and open thesunroof so I could look up at
the buildings, so I could lookup at the buildings, and I just
was fascinated by anything thatwas urban.
We lived in the suburbs, sowhenever we could, I would just
(43:10):
please take me, like you know,and so, like, new York City is
like one of my very happiestplaces.
I love the energy of people.
I love sitting in a coffee shopand just not talking to anyone
but just feeling the energy ofpeople and then living their
lives and walking down a busysidewalk.
Even it sounds weird, but evensitting in rush hour traffic
(43:32):
doesn't really bother me.
I just I love the energy ofbeing around people and them
doing what they're doing.
I don't necessarily want totalk to them.
I'm fine to talk to them, butthere's some, so there's that
there's just this like them.
I'm fine to talk to them, butthere's some.
So there's that.
There's just this like.
I crave that.
I crave that.
Um.
But then I have this otherwhole side of me.
(43:52):
When I was little, um, we wouldalways go to Colorado for
vacations.
We didn't do a lot of traveling, so that was kind of where we
would go and my mom had a hugepassion for, uh, being in the
mountains.
She'd grown up going to themountains.
So I just remember as a littlegirl, like just feeling this
presence when I was immersed inin the mountains, hiking or
(44:15):
whatever we were doing, and justthe air and the smells and the
feeling of it and this, thismajesty, and, and so I, you know
, I would collect rocks, and Iremember getting a little.
I had a necklace that was anAspen leaf that was had been
dipped in resin, and now I useresin and all my so much of my
(44:35):
work, and not because of that,but it's just really weird.
And like I had a little pinecone that was dipped in silver
that I, you know, would wear andlike it's.
It's funny how I guess it's.
I don't know if that's reallyan exciting story to tell, but
to me it is a story of just howthings early on in my life that
gave me this when I was tooyoung to be able to express how
(44:57):
they made me feel there wassomething that I was just so
drawn to and it it felt like ithelped complete that I was just
so drawn to and it felt like ithelped complete, complete me.
And now, like I'm just, my workhas just become more and more
and more expressive of both ofthose things you know, like
marrying that urban, industrialum with nature and and that pure
(45:21):
beauty of nature.
So that's a great story.
I just I can't really think ofanother story.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
I think that's a great story and I love it and
I'm so glad that we got here atfirst.
You've never told that storybefore.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
No, I mean, I've been thinking about it a lot.
I've been writing things downbecause of this show coming up
and it's focused on it's calledReviving Giants and I've I've.
There's Old Growth, redwood,that I am working on as canvas
and I've just been writing I'vehad to write stuff for like
press release and some thingslike that.
(45:59):
So I've been really thinking alot about how to just you know
what, where did all this comefrom?
And, like you know, it reallycame from.
Like those moments and andthings have, as I've just lived
life, from those moments as achild, but like two core things
for me have always been likebeing in those places make me
(46:20):
feel good.
You know just, when you're akid, you just know it makes you
feel good to be amongst the pinetrees or looking up at a
mountain peak, or looking at thesunroof and seeing these
buildings.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
You know like, yeah, yes, Well, and Dwight and I have
had the pleasure of seeing someof your old growth redwood art
and you know, for anybodylistening right now, there will
be a link to Christie's websitein the show notes.
And we, you know, for anybodylistening right now, there will
be a link to Christy's websitein the show notes and we
encourage you to go and view herart because you won't have seen
(46:52):
anything quite like it.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
Yeah, my husband and I went to the Mendocino Coast in
2022 and we stumbled upon acraftsman who makes furniture
out of redwood and I was like itwas the day before we were
leaving so we bought a fewpieces to have shipped back to
Dallas and then last summer wewent back up there and actually
(47:18):
scheduled a meeting with him.
We went out to his propertyabout 10 miles in from the
Pacific Ocean into the forest,and he has a couple of acres and
he has a building where hehouses these beautiful pieces of
redwood and they're allsustainably sourced old growth,
and I've learned from him oldgrowth Redwood means the tree is
(47:39):
at its youngest 200 years inage and those forests can date
back to 2000 years, um, and soall the pieces that I purchased
from him are all old growthpieces and they're and uh, those
pieces were kind of just thosetrees were just kind of cut down
just at will by the timberindustry from 1850 to 1950, and
(48:03):
then I think think, you know, ashumanity often just destroys
things people went oh wait,maybe we shouldn't cut down
these giant trees that have beengrowing for some thousands of
years, so they started puttingprotections on them in 1950.
So these pieces, there's a goodchance they were cut down
before 1950.
He pulls the trees out of therivers that flow into the
(48:24):
pacific ocean, off the beachesor, um, out of private land
where they need a stump removed,but none of the wood has been
cut down, um, you know, for thisart, obviously, or for really
any other purpose, they do stilldo lumber with redwood, but
it's not the old growth trees um, so to be able to get these
trees like new life I've beenworking on wood since 20, I
(48:47):
think 17, as well as sculptures,and to have these pieces and
all their majesty like be mycanvas is intimidating.
It's an honor.
It makes me cry sometimes whenI look at them and I just hope
to give them another life and asmodern art, and I'm excited to
share the collection with people.
(49:07):
So yeah, Beautiful.
Speaker 3 (49:12):
I can't wait.
You know, the last time we werein the gallery, you had
received a whole shipment of theold growth redwood and you
hadn't started working on it yet, so we haven't seen any of
those finished yet.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
I'm excited.
We are looking forward to that.
Yeah, I'm excited to share.
Speaker 2 (49:31):
Yeah, it's going to be amazing.
I kind of like how those twoexperiences that you had, the
things that light you up, arelike sides of a coin in a way.
You know the urban giants andthose things that you see only
in nature that also are of alarge scale.
Speaker 1 (49:54):
I hadn't thought of that.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (49:57):
I have some of that going on and I had never really
thought about it.
But I grew up in a small townand so when I ended up in the
big city of Dallas and arrivedin all the skyscrapers I was
kind of in awe and very much aman urban dweller, like like I
break out in hives when I go outto suburbia.
Speaker 1 (50:17):
Oh yeah, no, but at the same time.
Speaker 3 (50:19):
You know, I the times I have gotten to go into a
rainforest or beaches or theyspeak to my soul and just the
most beautiful and deep way, soI get it completely.
Speaker 1 (50:31):
Yeah, it's an emotional place for most of us.
I think, yeah, you feel yoursmallness, you feel nature's
greatness.
There's just beauty.
If you take the time to look,it's incredible.
But yeah, it's, it's.
So.
I to me, I don't know that it'slike super original to create
(50:52):
art based off of those emotionsand that's great and that's okay
, because I think it's acommonality that we all share.
Like you can't if you breathe,you've got to, you've got to
have some sort of connectionwith nature, right, like,
whether you've taken the time tolike really feel it or not.
But yeah, I feel the same wayaround the ocean.
I I'm not a I'm not a sunshinyocean girl.
(51:14):
I like the rugged, rocky, coldoceans where I don't have to put
on sunscreen so much.
I can wear a hat and sweatshirtand roll up my jeans.
But I do love the ocean.
It's funny, I'm more the oceanscares me.
I feel a little bit morefearful with the ocean.
I love the set.
(51:34):
Now, the sound of the ocean isthe most peaceful thing in the
world.
But, like, the ocean itself isvery like intimidating to me.
But mountains is weird, orshould be just as scary, but
they don't scare me, uh as much.
Uh, but like I just uh, I loveboth places.
So they both speak to me andI've been really lucky to be
(51:55):
able to spend time in bothextremes.
So I think people usually thosetwo places are where people
connect with nature the most.
Speaker 3 (52:04):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 2 (52:06):
It begs the question if it's a matter of the things
that you can't see there in theocean.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
Oh my God.
Yes, I was about to say that.
I was like, oh, I'm going ontoo long.
Yeah, no, that's totally it.
I know there's like I look outover the water and then I know
underneath it there's this wholedifferent world and it kind of
creeps me out Like it'sbeautiful and incredible and
there's just, I think it's justthat unknown and my imagination
(52:35):
just gets a little creeped out,you know, and like they don't,
like there's nowhere to go sleep, like, at least like I know,
like bears can like create alittle place to sleep in the
winter, like, or like a moose,or like a deer or like whatever,
like a beaver, a dam, likethere's a place to go sleep.
They're like more like us andyou're like this, the ocean,
like these animals, like, yes,they have their form of sleep,
(52:56):
but there's just constantmovement, there's never.
That never stops, and I thinkthat that makes me feel a little
anxious, yeah, weird, but and Ifeel my smallness, like around
the ocean, you feel how tiny youare it is something definitely
to be respected yes, verypowerful, yeah dwight, you got
(53:21):
some rapid fire questions for kr.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
I do If you have some rapid fire answers.
Speaker 1 (53:27):
I'll try my best.
I'm not the quickest thinker,but I'll try my best.
Speaker 2 (53:31):
All right.
So we have three rapid firequestions, the first of which is
what is a book or resource?
Every creative should read.
Speaker 1 (53:55):
You think that, oh gosh, I, I think, um, honestly,
I love fashion magazines becauseI think fashion for me is like
it is its own form of art, and Iknow we've been talking about
nature and all this stuff.
I think this kind of leans intomy urban side, but I think I'm
a very visual person and readingis great too.
(54:15):
Don't get me wrong.
There's great books to read,but when I'm thinking about
about like just creatives, likeI feel like sometimes, when
you're looking through andyou're seeing the colors and the
textures and the layers and youknow all those things to me, I,
I, you know, whether it's any,any kind of, I love magazines
Like, um, I don't subscribe tothem I should, but I will pick
(54:37):
them up when I have time and Ilove to just look through them
and just kind of absorb what'sgoing on.
Whether it is, you know, vogueor it is something that's a
little bit more artsy and morenarrow in its field.
I just love, I love looking atthe.
(54:57):
This is the visual stimulationthat I get I think is always
helpful If you're in a rut, likeit's a good place to look is.
Yeah, I think magazines aregreat.
That's cool, sounds sointellectual.
Speaker 3 (55:11):
Because that's not your typical answer.
I love it Right?
I?
Speaker 1 (55:14):
mean I could.
Yeah, I mean there's a lot ofgreat art books and stuff, but I
don't know.
I just like, I like letting mymind go and absorb.
Speaker 2 (55:25):
So, yeah, that that's a terrific, terrific answer.
So next one should be a loteasier.
What three words define yourartistic approach?
Speaker 1 (55:42):
I would say raw is like I use a lot of raw material
.
Um, I would say color.
I love color.
I think that's something I'mnaturally able to just pull
together.
For some weird reason, um, Idon't really plan out my
(56:02):
palettes and I just kind ofstart going with it, and so I
think color is something Ireally enjoy working with and
playing with.
So raw color and I would sayunexpected, because I don't
really know what I'm doing atthe time.
(56:23):
I mean, I know what I'm doingbut like I don't plan out the
piece, like it's definitely anevolution, so it's just an
unexpected to me, as well asmaybe the person that buys it.
I know it's going in the rightdirection or I'll do, but I
don't plan things out really.
Speaker 2 (56:39):
And it's kind of interesting how it's almost as
if we collaborated on these,because your answer to that
question kind of informs thenext question what is the most
unusual material you haveincorporated?
Into your art.
Speaker 1 (56:55):
Oh gosh.
Well, there is a story aboutwhy I have nails in my art, and
if we have time, I'll tell it.
Sure, why I have nails in myart, and if we have time, I'll
tell it.
So yeah, so in 2020, my husbandand I he wasn't, he just
recently retired due to hisParkinson's, but, believe it or
not, my husband was ananesthesiologist, and during
(57:18):
2020, they weren't doingelective surgeries, and so we
were like, let's go to Coloradofor six weeks, which we'd never
done.
So cause we I mean he would getlike weeks off, but it wasn't
like we would just take off forsix weeks.
So we went and we rented aplace where we could take all of
our dogs and we had a Bernie'smountain dog, I mean a Bernie
doodle, a Garfunkel, and we losthim last year, but he's my, my
(57:42):
hiking buddy, and so we would gohike every day like just
Garfunkel and I and I do a lotof creative thinking when I'm
hiking and so we were there forso long.
I had a lot of time to thinkabout what I wanted to do when I
got back to Dallas, and I hadbeen wanting to add sculpture to
my work, and so I was like, huh, I wonder if I could use paper
(58:05):
and like that's a byproduct oftrees and I work on wood and
blah, blah, blah and I was like,but I want to attach them with
nails.
I want to attach the paper withnails because I forever you can
look at my camera roll I takepictures of the nails that are
in the mining rooms and I alwaysthink, like, who put this nail
here?
I don't know, it's like weirdome, but that's what I think and
(58:27):
I'm like, oh, I wonder what itwas like to not have Patagonia,
like when they you know they'relike out here in the middle of
nowhere, like making thesecabins like 1800s and, you know,
freezing to death.
So, anyway, I got back home andI started doing that and the
first box of nails I bought werethese like old, primitive
(58:47):
looking nails that you can buylike at Hard Rock, elliot's or
something, and they're kind oflike triangular in shape with a
flat.
They're kind of flat, and Ithought, oh, this is super cool,
this is very like Coloradolooking.
And I punched it through thecanvas and it popped right back
out because it was so thick.
So I was like, well, so putthat box aside.
And then I just trial and error, started working with and I
(59:09):
found what would work.
So I've been.
I've been working on at thispoint about three and a half
years and my mom passed away in2019 from pancreatic cancer.
She was only sick for aboutfour months and she actually had
been in Colorado for a coupleof months with my dad when she
got home and started not feelingwell and she was hiking and
playing tennis.
(59:29):
My mom was young and veryactive and so this took us all
by surprise and she was my bestfriend other than my husband,
and so, anyway, thank you, Imiss her every day.
So, anyway, my dad he stayed attheir house until about 2023.
He moved into assisted living,but he's in an independent
living, so it's good, he's stillvery independent.
(59:52):
But it was my job, being the onethat lives here, to kind of
clean out the house and I thatwas in the upstairs, one of
their closets upstairs, and Ihave it now at the studio but I
have this piece of wood that mymom had collected.
My mom always picked up rocksand stuff, and I do the same
thing, but it was a piece ofwood with nails in it and they
(01:00:13):
were nails she had collectedfrom old mining runs and the
nails were the shape of thefirst box of nails that I bought
.
And so now I startedincorporating that box of nails
into different ways into my work.
So if you see this revivinggiants, I have a lot of those
nails tucked into some differentplaces.
(01:00:33):
So again, it's just kind of anod back to who I am and like
the relationships that build meand build all of us.
But my mom, as all of our moms,are just like the biggest thing
in our lives.
You know that so, so shaping,and she shaped my love for the
mountains and made me I didn'trealize it until I got older,
(01:00:55):
but she was the one that why Ialways stop and take pictures of
old campfires and why I always,you know, take pictures of
nails and cabins and likethey're this special thing and
they are special but they'revery common too, but they're
just magical to me.
But so that's kind of one ofthe one of the things I think
that sometimes people say, whyare you using nails?
(01:01:16):
And it really just goes back tothat very simple story of I
just wanted to attach the paperwith something that reminded me
of you know, something I'malways drawn to.
It's very common, common littleobject.
Nothing fancy about it.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
Kind of like me, but what an amazing story.
I mean that's you.
Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
Yeah, it was wild.
I almost died when I pulledthat out of the closet.
I was like I just had neverseen her collect the nails.
I've always seen her collectother things, but not that and
that she had them on this reallycool little piece of wood just
laying there.
So they're at my studio now.
Some people would say that youhad a visitation from your mom,
(01:02:01):
I agree, I agree and the showI'm working on I felt my mom so
much in this show, so much, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:02:12):
Can't wait to see it.
Speaker 1 (01:02:14):
I know I'm excited to share it.
Speaker 3 (01:02:16):
Christy, this has been awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:02:19):
Thank you, thanks for taking the time.
Speaker 3 (01:02:20):
Thank you so much for you know, pouring your heart
out and sharing your story.
Speaker 2 (01:02:24):
Yes, it's been amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:02:26):
You're welcome.
Thank you for giving me theopportunity to like explore
those things and share them, andhopefully they'll be a good
little nugget to somebody.
Speaker 3 (01:02:36):
I have no doubt.
Speaker 1 (01:02:38):
So, anyway, well, thanks guys.
You guys are amazing and y'allhave brought a lot of light into
my life as well, and I lovewhat you do and how you are just
, you know, so genuine and,again, authentic and how you
approach connecting with people,and it's just you can't be
helped but be drawn to both ofyou.
Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
So thank you, christy , that means a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:03:02):
Of course, of course.
they did a small show together.
Um, and anna said I have thisconcept, I want to have a, have
resident artists, I wanteveryone to, you know, be in an
open space.
And she was like, do you haveanybody you would want to call?
And mel Melissa said I have oneperson I will call.
And she called me.
And that was when she said youknow, would would you like to to
(00:33):
go to the design district, like, and I was like, yes, I will
follow you anywhere, cause she'swe had become such good friends
that I knew that if it wassomething she was interested in,
then I would be interested init.
So, like, that like reallychanged the path of my
professional journey right there, because I became a part of ALG
(00:58):
.
That was in the summer of Juneof 2018.
We moved on to Dragon Street atthe end of 18.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
And Welcome to another edition of For the Love
of Creatives podcast.
I am Dwight and I'm joined byMaddox.
(01:26):
We're the Connections andCommunity guys, and today our
featured guest is the lovelyChristy Merrill.
Welcome, christy.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Hi guys, I'm so happy to be here.
Thanks for asking me to joinyou.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah, this has worked out so great.
We're happy to have you here.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Of course.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Now, Christy, we have known you for the last couple
of years.
I believe that we actually metat a creatives event that we had
on during a summer.
It was a summer gathering at agallery in Deep Ellum and it was
a huge blowout and I rememberum, you, um.
(02:10):
You made quite an impression onus there.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah, Uh, and I know thatyou've done so much in the way
of giving back to the communityand you have some incredible
pieces that speak to nature andtouch on themes of things,
(02:33):
themes of modernity, and reallyget you to question, and I would
I feel like I could do nojustice and describing who you
are and what you're about.
So could you fill in any of ourlisteners to let them know
about you in a couple minutes?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, so again, I'm Christy Merrill.
I live in Dallas, texas, andI'm a multidimensionary artist
and I love to create withpaintbrushes and with my hands,
and so that's kind of as I'veevolved as an artist, going from
just traditional paint oncanvas to starting to express
(03:15):
myself through shapes andsculpture.
So I guess I really love beingimmersed in nature and the
creativity that comes out of me,and so, anyway, that's kind of
where that all started and wecan go into that later.
But but I do, I just love toexpress myself through my work.
I have a family.
(03:36):
I have a husband that's amazing, his name is Scott.
I have two daughters, sam andMolly, and a son-in-law, aaron,
and we have four dogs, and welive in East Dallas and I work
in the Dallas Design District.
I'm a resident artist at ALGFine Art, which is located on
Dragon Street, and I've beenthere since it opened at the end
(04:00):
of 2018.
And so, yeah, that's a littlebit about me.
There's more, but my art is abig focus in my life at this
point and I just love alsogiving back to the community.
I'm on the board of DIFA Dallas.
I'm in my second year on theboard.
I was on the Style Council in2023, raising money for aid
(04:24):
service organizations here inNorth Texas.
I have been involved with Dwellwith Dignity.
I've served as art chair forthem for at least twice and then
also volunteered with them asan art consultant and DCAC and a
few other things.
So I do love giving back to thecommunity and I feel like if I
can't give back with my art,then why should I make art?
(04:45):
So that's a little bit about me.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
What a great lead in Christy.
I love how much you just putout there the whole community
piece, because of course that'swhat Dwight and I are about.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, yeah, I think that's why we connect.
Yeah, I think that's why weconnect.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
One thing that I think people would be of, will
be, would be really interestedin, would be how it is that you
got started on your path, likehow did you?
What sent you in this direction?
How did we?
We get to see the fabulousChristy Merrill we know and love
today?
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Thank you.
Well, I did not go to artschool.
I'm completely self-taught, Iwas just minding my own business
.
I've always been super creative, whether it's like the interior
design of our homes or paintingthings in my children's walls
and when they were growing up,and things like that.
So some of our very bestfriends their son was having his
bar mitzvah very best friendstheir son was having his bar
(05:49):
mitzvah.
This was 20 years ago and I wasat a stoplight one day and I,
just my head.
I was always going and Ithought, you know, I want to do
something different for theminstead of buying them a gift
that they are like family to us,and I wanted to do something
for the parents that were ourfriends.
And so I came up with this ideaof creating a menorah in the
shape of stones on canvas.
(06:10):
And I'm not Jewish, I have aJewish family and a ton of
Jewish friends, but like Iwanted to add Hebrew, so I had
to like figure out like how toadd a word in Hebrew.
So I came up with this idea andI went and got a canvas and I
created this menorah and it wasreally fun just to do the
(06:31):
research on the different typesof menorahs and everything.
So I found out like the sevenbranch menorah is different than
the Hanukkah branch menorah,which is like nine branches or
nine candlesticks, and the sevenbranches like the oldest I
think it's the oldest symbol ofJudaism.
So I thought, oh, this isreally cool, so I did it.
And then I got some Hebrewstamps and I figured out how to
(06:55):
create the word light in Hebrewand I attached that on parchment
onto the painting.
So anyway, it was just a giftfrom my heart, a gift of love,
and I'd done some paintingbefore, but just nothing like
professionally at all.
And this was a gift.
And the next thing I knew I wasmaking menorahs for so many
people and I ended up in theJewish art fair at the Meyerson
(07:18):
like a year later.
So that's kind of where it allstarted.
And then I just continued tojust kind of explore different
symbols with stones, withstacking stones, and then just
kind of fell into evolving intoabstract art.
And then just one thing led toanother and as my kids were
(07:41):
getting older, it allowed me tohave more time to pursue my art
in a professional way and Iwould say in the last like 10
years especially, I've been ableto really focus in on.
You know my work 100 percent.
So that's where we are now.
So that's kind of how it allstarted.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
So what I'm hearing you say is that you didn't
really set out to be an artist.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
No, I always say that if I had set out to be an
artist, I would never have beenan artist, because I am
naturally a people pleaser.
That's just kind of who I am,and I've been learning to grow
out of that.
You know, I think we peoplepleasers went from children on.
If you're really lucky, yourealize that that's not a
(08:31):
healthy pattern, and so I've,you know, always I've been
working towards that and I'vegotten so much better.
Um, but if back at you knowcollege days, if I would have
pursued art, I would have beenfreaked out about what direction
you know professor would have.
If I would have pursued art, Iwould have been freaked out
about what direction you knowprofessor would have wanted me
to go into.
This is right.
This is wrong.
Is my apple perfect?
(08:53):
You know like all those thingswould have been really it would
have killed my creative insight.
You know like I think what'sbeen really fun for me?
It's like the one thing in mylife that I always feel brave
about is my art.
It's just something that Idon't make art to please people
(09:15):
and that's why my art is reallydifferent.
But it's so freeing and it'sjust my happy place.
It's very therapeutic and Ijust have a lot of bravery when
I'm approaching my art, and I'mnot always that way in other
parts of my life.
So yeah, that's kind of how ithappened.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
That's a really profound juxtaposition that you
just laid out, because you justsaid that you suffered as a
people pleaser your whole life,and the art is the one area
where it's all yours, it's onyour terms, it is what you want.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, and I'm really lucky to have I've been
surrounded by some really great,creative people that have
supported me and encouraged me.
I think, especially if youdon't go to school for art, a
lot of times it's hard to callyourself an artist and I now
easily call myself that but ittook a while it took about 10
years for me to feel comfortableusing that word.
(10:15):
But, yeah, just having peoplearound me that encourage me to
pursue things that maybe theyhaven't seen before, and tell me
yes, tell me it, yes, it's theright direction, keep going.
And I think I've been reallylucky to have that as well.
And I have a very supportivefamily my kids, my husband and
and other members of my familyas well.
(10:37):
So it's, it's just, it's been areally joyful journey Overall.
A really joyful journey overall.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Wow, there's.
There's two things that arereally standing out for me.
One is how many times in anygiven week we speak to creative
people who have a hard timeowning who they are.
They have a hard time saying I'man artist, or or I'm a dancer
or I'm a poet, it doesn't matterwhat it is.
(11:04):
It's like they'll say in fact,I just put out an article today
that was about this very, verytopic I write poems, but they
won't say I'm a poet, I dance,but they won't say I'm a dancer,
I paint, but they won't say I'man artist.
I'm a dancer, I paint, but theywon't say I'm an artist.
(11:30):
It's such a common theme.
I would like to hear that day,when you finally said the words
I am an artist Maybe you saidthem to yourself, maybe you said
them to someone else whatshifted for you that day when
you made that declaration outinto the universe?
Because that's what it is, whenyou, the first time, you say I
am an artist, that is adeclaration out into the
(11:53):
universe.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Yeah, I don't have a specific day, I do think it is.
I think it started about 10years ago and I had gotten into
some studio space outside of myhome for the first time and I
think just being like welcomedinto a community of artists and
(12:16):
seen as an equal was really isdefinitely I feel like it.
Maybe not it was a single dayor time that I remember, but I
think it was a.
It was a gradual like processwhere I started being surrounded
by professional artists andthey respected me and respected
my work and then I went fromthat studio space to the
(12:38):
Continental Gen and Deep Ellumand then, you know, and then I
was asked to join ALG and Ithink it was probably before I
went to Continental Gen.
I would say that I just Istarted feeling comfortable, I
started selling my work.
I think I think, when you knowit's just all those things mixed
together, it's not like youhave to sell your work to be an
artist, but it was like I thinkit was a combination of being
(13:01):
befriended by artists.
I did a women's group that waswomen artists that I met with
like once a month.
You know, I just starteddeveloping relationships with
people I really respected asartists, and and the fact that
they embraced me and what I wasdoing, I think really gave me
the courage to feel like, ohyeah, I'm an artist too.
(13:23):
I'm part of this club too, youknow.
So.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And that's beautiful.
You're touching on notes ofcommunity.
I loved how, even with your,your origin story, you were
talking about how it was soimportant for you to give of
yourself to that close familyfriend and you mentioned your
family.
And you mentioned beingembraced by this artist
community and I I know thatthrough your work with with
(13:52):
Diffa, you, you, you're touchingother communities.
Could you tell us a little bitabout all of the different
communities that you're involvedin?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Yeah, it's really funny a little bit about all of
the different communities thatyou're involved in.
Yeah, it's really funny.
I guess sometime during my artjourney I decided to start
giving back with my art, and itwas probably around 2011.
And, honestly, I wouldn't betalking to you today if I hadn't
started down that path.
And it wasn't something thatwas calculated, I actually just
(14:28):
it was a way to like give my art, give back to something I
believed in, and then I met somereally wonderful people and
started developing relationships.
And, honestly, that's why I'mhere today talking to you guys,
because I back and and I got toknow some of the most beautiful
people.
Because I think when you get toknow other people that have
(14:49):
similar desires to give back andsupport the community, then you
like just find some beautiful,wonderful people that journey
with you in life, um, andprofessionally as well.
But so some of the things thatI have been um focused on,
focused on, I've done one of thefirst art shows that I did
called Summer Colors.
(15:09):
Jenny Grumbles started it andit supports Scottish Rite
Hospital.
So I love doing things thatsupport children, so that is
that's something that I've donealmost every year.
I think I missed it last year,but I've done it at least for 10
years, mixed during that timesupported it, and then Dallas
(15:33):
Children's Advocacy Center issomething that I've become more
involved with in the last fiveyears.
I served on the curatorialcommittee.
For two years I've donated myart.
Alg has been a sponsor, so allof us all the resident artists
at ALG were involved and we haveour own gallery wall so we
(15:55):
donate original pieces thatwe've created just for that
event for Art for Advocacy,which is their big fundraising
event.
Dallas Children's AdvocacyCenter serves children and their
non-offending family membersthat are dealing with criminal
level child abuse in DallasCounty.
(16:15):
They serve about 10,000children a year, which is just
gut-wrenching to think thatthere's that many criminal level
abuse cases every year and theywalk with the child and their
family like through the legalprocess.
They have therapy, they reallybring them through all the
(16:37):
layers of recovery and thejustice that comes with it as
well through the courts, andthey just do amazing work.
That is incredible.
So those are some things withchildren.
Homelessness is another thingthat I'm pretty passionate about
, so I got involved with Dwellwith Dignity and Dwell with
(16:57):
Dignity has some art-basedgiving back where they have
something called Thrift Studioonce a year some art-based
giving back where they havesomething called Thrift Studio
once a year and artists in theDallas area donate original work
and it's sold at Thrift Studio.
And Dwell with Dignity providesinterior design for people
coming out of homelessness, andchildren are also always
(17:18):
involved in the picture.
It's always a family, and Iactually have been art chair
once individually for the ThriftStudio and then ALG was art
chair another time, and then Iserved as an art consultant with
them for about a year and ahalf, where I would go in and
meet with the clients that theywere serving and find out what
(17:41):
type of art would work in thespace and help come up with
ideas to let volunteers createart, or sometimes I would make
art.
So, and then DIPA kind of justfell into my lap and so I have
so many people in my life thatare impacted or not served by,
(18:02):
necessarily, aid serviceorganizations.
But I knew I wanted to dosomething that focused and again
, it's not something that onlyimpacts the LGBTQ plus community
, it is also, you know, othercommunities as well but I wanted
something that supported somany, many people right on the
whole spectrum, and I and I feltlike I just got an opportunity.
(18:26):
Honestly, ken Weber reached outto me I had I had donated work
to AIN, which is an AIDS serviceorganization, got to know some
people through for their galgalas, and then, um, anyway, I
was pulled into diffa by kenweber and jr hernandez and they
asked me to be on style council,which was really funny because
(18:48):
I am not a model as you can see.
Um, I am five foot one and um,I don't walk runways.
But that's part of the stylecouncil for diffaa is, you're an
ambassador for Diffa in Dallasand they have about 15 people
that are selected to be in thatrole for the year leading up to
the gala in the spring, and soyou raise money for the
(19:13):
organization and then part of it, once you reach your goal of
raising money, you walk therunway.
So I was just like, do I haveto walk the runway?
Can I just raise money?
Like I really don't want towalk the runway, but you know it
was great.
It pushed me out of my comfortzone and I got down the runway
in really tall platform shoes,so it was definitely out of my
(19:34):
comfort zone, and so then afterthat, I was asked to join the
board and I have been jacketchair for the last two seasons
and we have that coming up soon.
It's every spring.
So jackets we curate like 60 to70 jackets.
We have different designers andartists that create them in
(19:57):
Dallas and outside of Dallas,and it raises money for this
incredibly important cause.
Yeah, that's not gone away,it's still here.
I think some of those peoplethink HIV, aids, oh, and that
like already taken care of, it'slike.
No, it hasn't been, and I justam really proud to be a part of
that board.
I've met some of the mostamazing people and they're so
(20:21):
inspiring and and just I'm likewhy am I here?
Cause you guys are so awesome.
So, anyway, those are some ofthe things I've done.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Well, and that's it's .
It's really inspiring howyou're willing to do so much
outside of yourself.
You're willing to do so muchoutside of yourself.
And you know, I I know that alot of the creatives that we
talk to struggle with theinertia that comes from not
being able, not having what ittakes to just have that forward
(20:53):
movement for the next step.
But it sounds like you are sofocused on things outside of
yourself that you're not hauntedby those demons.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Oh, you know, I haven't ever thought of it that
way, but I will say I mean,knock on wood, I don't struggle
with my creativity, I don'tstruggle with creative ideas or
getting.
I've never been in a placewhere I'm like, oh, I'm stuck, I
can't do it, and maybe it isbecause I do have so many other
things pulling at me that Ican't really navel gaze too much
(21:27):
when it comes to to mycreativity.
I celebrated, it's like areally joyful slice of my life
and, yeah, I just try not to bestretched too thin is sometimes,
uh, something I struggle with.
But oh, and another thing as afounding board member of dallas
galleries for advocacy, um, andI rolled off the board, um, in
(21:49):
january after, uh, two and ahalf years because just again
was spread too thin.
I was like, okay, okay, I can'tdo all of this and make art.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Christy, your story is such a testament to the value
of community and you have sobeautifully illustrated how
community has benefited from allof the things that you
participated in and put energyinto.
But it's a two-way street, so Iwould love to know what was
some of the value that youreceived in those communities
(22:31):
from your participation.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, I think the thing that always I've said it
once, once, I think I've said ita couple of times I think
relationships for me, um, thepeople that I've met, like you
can't, that's just a pricelessthing um, I they've changed my
life and like they've justthey're just a huge part of who
(22:57):
I am.
I think the relationships arethe biggest thing for me, that
the biggest blessing, um, Ithink the other thing is, um
I've had some, you know,tangible opportunities to get my
work out and be seen um bypeople in the community through
donating.
You know that's, that'ssomething that's always a nice
(23:19):
thing when you get a commission,or you know someone comes to
the gallery, or you know thingslike that that are like a
professional plus right.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Do you feel like it opened up doors for you that
maybe otherwise would not havebeen opened?
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh, yeah, I like again.
I think, through therelationships that I've built,
um, those doors have have opened.
I I mean, uh, I met someMelissa Ellis, and I met gosh.
It was like 2011.
We met at a, something that wehad donated to Um I can't not
right now, it's blanking on whatthe name of the event was.
(23:57):
Anyway, we met and then, a fewweeks later, met again because
we both donated to Dwell withDignity and then became fast
friends.
And you know, other artiststhat I love and adore are also
still in my life from that earlytime.
And then Melissa met Anna Kearnsin the spring of 2018.
(24:20):
I was at Continental Gin.
Melissa was painting out of herhome at that time and she met
Anna and they were doing, theydid a small show together.
And Anna said I have thisconcept, I want to have resident
artists, I want everyone to bein an open space.
And she was like do you haveanybody you would want to call?
(24:41):
And Melissa said I have oneperson, I will call.
And she called me.
And that was when she said youknow would, would you like to to
go to the design district, like, and I was like, yes, I will
follow you anywhere, cause she's, we had become such good
friends that I knew that if itwas something she was interested
in that I would be interestedin it.
(25:02):
So, like that like reallychanged the path of my
professional journey right there, because I became a part of ALG
.
That was in the summer of Juneof 2018.
We moved on to Dragon Street atthe end of 18.
(25:24):
And it just has been that'sbeen my professional like
launchpad since then.
And so, yeah, I mean, I knowthat I don't know if that's
that's kind of like the answerfor me, it really is.
There's other people I couldlist that just they have helped
shape my life like in a greatway, and it's been people within
(25:46):
the organizations andleadership or, you know, other
volunteers and things like that.
So, yeah, I think that's people, people.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Melissa Ellis is a force of nature because we know,
other people who she haschanged their lives as well.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
So, yeah, what a beautiful story.
Yeah, she's been like my sister, so we've journeyed through a
lot together.
Yeah, a lot of life, a lot ofart, yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Christy, I'd like to back up for a minute.
You said something back there,probably 15 minutes ago, that
caught my ear, when you said Icreate art that I want to create
.
I don't create art to pleaseother people.
I'm probably not wording itexactly.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yeah, yeah, no, you're good.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
And I'm curious because this is kind of a topic
that we certainly hear from timeto time this artists and of
course it doesn't apply just toartists, it applies to almost
anybody that creates.
It doesn't matter what you'recreating.
There's always this voice inyour head that's like creating.
(27:02):
There's always this voice inyour head that's like, okay, do
I create what I know will sell,or what I'm pretty sure will
sell, or do I create what I love, with no regard to whether it
sells or not?
Now, you've clearly chosen thepath that you create, with no
regard to whether it sells ornot, and what a beautiful
position to be in.
But I guess what I'm lookingfor here because I think that
(27:24):
there are people out there thatneed to hear this Are you often
surprised at the things that youabsolutely created because you
loved them and they had meaningto you, and they did sell?
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yes, I feel like all of my work, whenever my work
does sell, which is important tome like it's something.
This is, you know it's, it'ssomething that is a goal of mine
is to sell my art and to helpsupport my family, um, but it
often does surprise me and itgives me so much joy.
I think, um, because I I knowthat the work I create people
(28:02):
don't get in their car and drivethinking I want what she
created in my space, like I,just it's, it's not like, it's
not like a beautiful landscape,right, it's like that.
That are beautiful, I lovelandscapes, but it's like.
It's like somebody might bethinking, oh, I'm going to go
look for I want a landscape overmy you know, my sofa or in my
(28:25):
dining room or whatever, whichis great, I love, I love them.
But when they walk in and seemy work, it's definitely not
that, and so I'm always likeit's always.
I guess it just brings me somuch joy when people connect
with what I'm trying to say orjust however.
They like the direction, theytake the piece in their head and
(28:48):
it's really, really exciting.
I'd like I have a show comingup that's opening this weekend
and there's a piece and it'scalled Close Knit, k-n-i-t.
And my husband has Parkinson'sdisease and he is a hero, a
superhero, and he's like aMichael J Fox situation early
(29:13):
forties out of the blue, ourkids were really little.
Out of the blue, our kids werereally little and he just, is
always.
Just, doesn't let it hold himback.
He's just an incredible man andhuman.
And so about a year and a halfago he taught himself off of
YouTube how to knit, because ithelps with his fine motor skills
(29:36):
.
He doesn't have a tremor, hehas.
His diagnosis was really hardto figure out what was going on
because he doesn't have thestereotypical, like Parkinson's
symptoms, so he taught himselfhow to knit.
So now he knits these beautifulscarves Like my daughters have.
I have some, my daughters, hissisters, like any, my sister
(30:00):
have some my daughters, hissisters, like any, my sister, my
niece, like our niece, I meananyone who will take one.
He, like you know, knits.
So there's a piece called CloseKnit and I took some of the
remnants of his knitting and Imixed it with my sculpture out
of paper and I actually there.
We're on Dragon Street streetand several months ago a car had
(30:20):
its window bashed in and therewas, there's still auto glass.
It's kind of like now in thecrevices of dragon street along
with gravel.
And one day I walked out and Ilooked down and the sun was
hitting it and I was like that'sreally pretty.
So like I scooped it up and Iadded that to my painting.
Um, this painting, and it's justvery urban, it's very
industrial, it's not beautiful,but it is beautiful and to me
(30:46):
it's just represents likeperseverance and like holding on
to each other and just beingintertwined, like as a couple.
But then also our children arerock stars and like we're just a
really cohesive, tight littlebundle and like we've really
(31:07):
been able to like not stop life,even though having a diagnosis
like that as a at a very youngage, um, we've continued to
pursue life as full as we can.
So that's like one of my piecesand I I love it and I think
it's really beautiful.
It's it's a lot of white andblack and there's some pops of
(31:27):
fluorescent and it's, and thenyou've got the glass and you've
got you know, you've got allthis stuff and it's it's just.
Anyway, I can't wait to see whoends up connecting with the
piece.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
You know I have dabbled with painting at times,
but I have never gotten farenough in.
I never did it in order to sellpaintings.
I didn't care whether they soldor not, it was a hobby.
But I just.
(32:04):
I'm listening to you and I'velistened to so many creatives
and I have this feeling thatwhen we create from the depths
of our being whether it's comingfrom a place of pain and
struggle and trauma that you'retrying to release, or whether
it's coming from this great lovefor somebody in your life who
(32:25):
knits these beautiful scarves Ihave to believe in my heart of
hearts that what will draw thebuyer to your piece is not
whether it's commerciallybeautiful or not, but it will be
that energy behind what createdit.
I'm wondering, because I do seeso much struggle what words of
wisdom would you have for anycreative whether it be an artist
(32:45):
or an architect or an interiordesigner doesn't matter when
they're trying to decide thatquestion of do I make what I
know will sell or do I make whatis coming out of my soul?
What words of wisdom would youhave for them?
Speaker 1 (33:03):
I think and all the industries are different I think
, being a visual artist, I havea lot of freedom right.
I have a lot more freedom to dowhatever I want to do, versus
maybe an architect would or aninterior designer, but there's
still wiggle room in there and Ithink that go for it, like just
go for it, because I think thatthat's what makes us different
(33:26):
and unique and, again, you know,I it makes it.
It does make it harder, like inways, but there's so much joy
and I think it.
And then you have thisindividuality that I hope people
think of when they think of mywork.
I mean, I can't, I don't knowwhat people think when they
(33:46):
think of my work, but I hopethey see it as something
different, as something that'sunexpected, that does come from
my soul.
And I feel like a lot of timeswhen people come into our space
at the ALG through the years,they feel a sense of energy in
that space and I think a lot ofit is because we create what's
(34:07):
hanging in that space so much ofit, unless we have visiting
artists in but there's so muchownership and love in what we're
doing and what we're makingthat I think you do feel that
energy that you speak of and Ihope that, um, that just
translates to people when theysee my work, and so so to other
creatives I would say, like,just do what you love and your
(34:31):
vision and take risks, and Ithink that the people that are
open to allowing you to do thatare the are, will be so blessed
and joyful in what you do createand and they'll just it'll, I
just hope, like my pieces and Ithink every artist does like.
If someone buys a piece of mine,I hope that they love, they
(34:52):
want to pour this themselves aglass of wine or bourbon or
sparkling water or coffee orwhatever and just stand there
and look at it.
You know, like there's justsomething about it and it's not
because I'm a great artist.
I don't think I'm a greatartist.
I think that I am a veryauthentic artist because of what
I create.
I I'm obviously not technicallytrained, but I hope that my art
(35:16):
like, speaks and and providessomething special you know to
people.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I would argue that because you are an authentic
artist, you're a great artist.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Thank you, yes.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
You know, christy, I want to champion you and suggest
that you let go of what youjust said, the words, because
I'm not technically trained.
I mean, you do what you loveand it sells, and you're in a
(35:52):
very well-known gallery.
I mean, does it get me better?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
you're in, you're in good company you're, I am in
great company.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
I'm like I said.
I've been surrounded by someincredible people and I continue
to be, and, um, I just, I justam so grateful for them because
I wouldn't be where I am withoutpeople saying do it, you know,
go for it.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
And now I feel now.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
I feel now I feel like, oh yeah, I'm gonna fucking
go for it.
Like I don't.
I feel very, um free, a lot offreedom now in my creativity,
because I think I've finally hitthe place of like internally,
where I've hit a place of justlike, yeah, make it, just make
(36:40):
it, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
So I just want to say that, historically, some of our
most profound composers, someof our most profound painters,
some of our most profoundmusicians, have been people that
were not technically trained.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Right Dave.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
Grohl, y'all.
Yeah, it's just y'all.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah, it's just, I think, when it comes from inside
, of you.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
You got natural what somebody else has to go and get
trained for.
I mean from where I'm standing.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
I mean from where I can stand.
Do I need to finish thatsentence?
From where I'm standing?
You know where I'm going withthat right?
Yeah, thank you.
Well, you got a God given giftthat somebody else had to study
under someone else to end.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Basically I don't want to say copy, but no, yeah,
I think it's great for peoplethat study, have studied and
attended our school.
I admire them.
I think it's wonderful.
I just know, for me and itwasn't even like I literally
fell into creating art I mean,again, for my whole life I had
doodled and painted and donethings but like I really did
(37:50):
truly fall into like, oh, thismakes me happy, oh, I have a
passion for this, oh, like youknow, and kind of figuring out
ways for it to fit into my lifeat a time when my kids were
really young.
And then, and continuing toallow it to give me therapy and
direction, I'd only beenpainting for a couple of years
(38:12):
when my husband was diagnosedwith Parkinson's.
So it's been such a lifelinefor me.
So it's been such a lifelinefor me.
There's no better feeling thanwhen I can lose myself in
creating, and I think a lot ofcreative.
I think that's just humans,we're all creative, everyone's
creative.
I mean whether it's cooking orgardening or you know all the
(38:35):
different things, scrapbooking,I mean there's creativity all
around us.
You know anything, we all needcreativity.
But for me it's visual art andI just can get lost in it and
it's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
You know, I think the one thing that separates people
from those that don't reallythink they're creative and those
, you're right, we are allcreative, but what separates us
one from the other is ourability to own it.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
It is so important to own it.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
And sometimes we just need to have a little bit of
direction and you know, havesomeone pointed out to us allow
people to, let us see what we'reblind to right, like my sister.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
My sister is I'm a very type.
I say there's not a type b, I'ma type z, my sister's a type a.
Um, she's an academic, she'sbrilliant, she's amazing.
Um, she lives in the dc area.
But she is always like I am notcreative at all.
I can't do any interior design,I can't, you know.
I don't like to go shopping forclothes, I don you know.
(39:42):
But my sister is one of thebest cooks she will ever
experience and she doesn't.
She's like you know, oh, thisis this Bon Appetit, you know
recipe.
I mean, like that's just herform of creativity is being in
her beautiful kitchen andcreating these incredible meals,
and she doesn't do it just whenpeople come over.
(40:03):
That's what I.
I like to cook, like when it'sa creative act and I'm I'm doing
something for other people.
Like I enjoy bringing people inour home, not every, every so
often, it's not something allthe time, but like that's when I
like to cook.
I do not like the mundanecooking every day.
My, my husband and I eat outway too much.
Um, I'm very satisfied going toTaverna and ordering pasta and
(40:25):
coming home and just vegging mysister though they loved to fine
dine and stuff, but she almostI bet five, six days a week
she's creating something thatyou would eat at any fine dining
restaurant.
So I do think creativity it'sjust there's so many ways around
it.
So I always tell her you arecreative.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
And on the topic of being a true artist, I think
that there is a realm, evenwithin the visual arts, where
you can be a spec artist right,where, if you're just a cog in a
machine and you're justdesigning things as you're told
you're creating things to orderwe can detect how there's no
(41:10):
soul, there is not a light there.
That's the kind of thing thatyou could probably move off to
have done in an automatedfashion and have no people
involved at all, whereas thethings that you create we can
look and see that there is thatinner light, there is something
(41:30):
with substance.
We can reach out and touch,something that puts us in touch
with the divine.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Yeah, oh, wow, thank you, I have never seen anything
that even remotely looks likeyour work.
Your work is very unique andit's very recognizable.
In many ways, it's very eyecatching.
Yes, so I'm going to take us ina little bit different
(42:01):
direction.
I have a question.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
Yes, take us in a little bit different direction.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
I have a question.
Yes, what story do you wishthat somebody would ask you to
tell that you have never told?
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
Hmm, what do you think?
Take your time.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
Yeah, take your time.
Yeah, um, maybe, like I don'tknow, maybe the story of like
how my art, like where the rootsof it come from, um, I've been
doing a lot of reflecting latelyon that and it's pretty simple
(42:48):
but it's powerful for me becauseit's where my art kind of lives
.
Um, I love urban settings.
I, when I was little, I wouldhave my parents, uh, drive me to
downtown Dallas and open thesunroof so I could look up at
the buildings, so I could lookup at the buildings, and I just
was fascinated by anything thatwas urban.
We lived in the suburbs, sowhenever we could, I would just
(43:10):
please take me, like you know,and so, like, new York City is
like one of my very happiestplaces.
I love the energy of people.
I love sitting in a coffee shopand just not talking to anyone
but just feeling the energy ofpeople and then living their
lives and walking down a busysidewalk.
Even it sounds weird, but evensitting in rush hour traffic
(43:32):
doesn't really bother me.
I just I love the energy ofbeing around people and them
doing what they're doing.
I don't necessarily want totalk to them.
I'm fine to talk to them, butthere's some, so there's that
there's just this like them.
I'm fine to talk to them, butthere's some.
So there's that.
There's just this like.
I crave that.
I crave that.
Um.
But then I have this otherwhole side of me.
(43:52):
When I was little, um, we wouldalways go to Colorado for
vacations.
We didn't do a lot of traveling, so that was kind of where we
would go and my mom had a hugepassion for, uh, being in the
mountains.
She'd grown up going to themountains.
So I just remember as a littlegirl, like just feeling this
presence when I was immersed inin the mountains, hiking or
(44:15):
whatever we were doing, and justthe air and the smells and the
feeling of it and this, thismajesty, and, and so I, you know
, I would collect rocks, and Iremember getting a little.
I had a necklace that was anAspen leaf that was had been
dipped in resin, and now I useresin and all my so much of my
(44:35):
work, and not because of that,but it's just really weird.
And like I had a little pinecone that was dipped in silver
that I, you know, would wear andlike it's.
It's funny how I guess it's.
I don't know if that's reallyan exciting story to tell, but
to me it is a story of just howthings early on in my life that
gave me this when I was tooyoung to be able to express how
(44:57):
they made me feel there wassomething that I was just so
drawn to and it it felt like ithelped complete that I was just
so drawn to and it felt like ithelped complete, complete me.
And now, like I'm just, my workhas just become more and more
and more expressive of both ofthose things you know, like
marrying that urban, industrialum with nature and and that pure
(45:21):
beauty of nature.
So that's a great story.
I just I can't really think ofanother story.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
I think that's a great story and I love it and
I'm so glad that we got here atfirst.
You've never told that storybefore.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
No, I mean, I've been thinking about it a lot.
I've been writing things downbecause of this show coming up
and it's focused on it's calledReviving Giants and I've I've.
There's Old Growth, redwood,that I am working on as canvas
and I've just been writing I'vehad to write stuff for like
press release and some thingslike that.
(45:59):
So I've been really thinking alot about how to just you know
what, where did all this comefrom?
And, like you know, it reallycame from.
Like those moments and andthings have, as I've just lived
life, from those moments as achild, but like two core things
for me have always been likebeing in those places make me
(46:20):
feel good.
You know just, when you're akid, you just know it makes you
feel good to be amongst the pinetrees or looking up at a
mountain peak, or looking at thesunroof and seeing these
buildings.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
You know like, yeah, yes, Well, and Dwight and I have
had the pleasure of seeing someof your old growth redwood art
and you know, for anybodylistening right now, there will
be a link to Christie's websitein the show notes.
And we, you know, for anybodylistening right now, there will
be a link to Christy's websitein the show notes and we
encourage you to go and view herart because you won't have seen
(46:52):
anything quite like it.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
Yeah, my husband and I went to the Mendocino Coast in
2022 and we stumbled upon acraftsman who makes furniture
out of redwood and I was like itwas the day before we were
leaving so we bought a fewpieces to have shipped back to
Dallas and then last summer wewent back up there and actually
(47:18):
scheduled a meeting with him.
We went out to his propertyabout 10 miles in from the
Pacific Ocean into the forest,and he has a couple of acres and
he has a building where hehouses these beautiful pieces of
redwood and they're allsustainably sourced old growth,
and I've learned from him oldgrowth Redwood means the tree is
(47:39):
at its youngest 200 years inage and those forests can date
back to 2000 years, um, and soall the pieces that I purchased
from him are all old growthpieces and they're and uh, those
pieces were kind of just thosetrees were just kind of cut down
just at will by the timberindustry from 1850 to 1950, and
(48:03):
then I think think, you know, ashumanity often just destroys
things people went oh wait,maybe we shouldn't cut down
these giant trees that have beengrowing for some thousands of
years, so they started puttingprotections on them in 1950.
So these pieces, there's a goodchance they were cut down
before 1950.
He pulls the trees out of therivers that flow into the
(48:24):
pacific ocean, off the beachesor, um, out of private land
where they need a stump removed,but none of the wood has been
cut down, um, you know, for thisart, obviously, or for really
any other purpose, they do stilldo lumber with redwood, but
it's not the old growth trees um, so to be able to get these
trees like new life I've beenworking on wood since 20, I
(48:47):
think 17, as well as sculptures,and to have these pieces and
all their majesty like be mycanvas is intimidating.
It's an honor.
It makes me cry sometimes whenI look at them and I just hope
to give them another life and asmodern art, and I'm excited to
share the collection with people.
(49:07):
So yeah, Beautiful.
Speaker 3 (49:12):
I can't wait.
You know, the last time we werein the gallery, you had
received a whole shipment of theold growth redwood and you
hadn't started working on it yet, so we haven't seen any of
those finished yet.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
I'm excited.
We are looking forward to that.
Yeah, I'm excited to share.
Speaker 2 (49:31):
Yeah, it's going to be amazing.
I kind of like how those twoexperiences that you had, the
things that light you up, arelike sides of a coin in a way.
You know the urban giants andthose things that you see only
in nature that also are of alarge scale.
Speaker 1 (49:54):
I hadn't thought of that.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (49:57):
I have some of that going on and I had never really
thought about it.
But I grew up in a small townand so when I ended up in the
big city of Dallas and arrivedin all the skyscrapers I was
kind of in awe and very much aman urban dweller, like like I
break out in hives when I go outto suburbia.
Speaker 1 (50:17):
Oh yeah, no, but at the same time.
Speaker 3 (50:19):
You know, I the times I have gotten to go into a
rainforest or beaches or theyspeak to my soul and just the
most beautiful and deep way, soI get it completely.
Speaker 1 (50:31):
Yeah, it's an emotional place for most of us.
I think, yeah, you feel yoursmallness, you feel nature's
greatness.
There's just beauty.
If you take the time to look,it's incredible.
But yeah, it's, it's.
So.
I to me, I don't know that it'slike super original to create
(50:52):
art based off of those emotionsand that's great and that's okay
, because I think it's acommonality that we all share.
Like you can't if you breathe,you've got to, you've got to
have some sort of connectionwith nature, right, like,
whether you've taken the time tolike really feel it or not.
But yeah, I feel the same wayaround the ocean.
I I'm not a I'm not a sunshinyocean girl.
(51:14):
I like the rugged, rocky, coldoceans where I don't have to put
on sunscreen so much.
I can wear a hat and sweatshirtand roll up my jeans.
But I do love the ocean.
It's funny, I'm more the oceanscares me.
I feel a little bit morefearful with the ocean.
I love the set.
(51:34):
Now, the sound of the ocean isthe most peaceful thing in the
world.
But, like, the ocean itself isvery like intimidating to me.
But mountains is weird, orshould be just as scary, but
they don't scare me, uh as much.
Uh, but like I just uh, I loveboth places.
So they both speak to me andI've been really lucky to be
(51:55):
able to spend time in bothextremes.
So I think people usually thosetwo places are where people
connect with nature the most.
Speaker 3 (52:04):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 2 (52:06):
It begs the question if it's a matter of the things
that you can't see there in theocean.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
Oh my God.
Yes, I was about to say that.
I was like, oh, I'm going ontoo long.
Yeah, no, that's totally it.
I know there's like I look outover the water and then I know
underneath it there's this wholedifferent world and it kind of
creeps me out Like it'sbeautiful and incredible and
there's just, I think it's justthat unknown and my imagination
(52:35):
just gets a little creeped out,you know, and like they don't,
like there's nowhere to go sleep, like, at least like I know,
like bears can like create alittle place to sleep in the
winter, like, or like a moose,or like a deer or like whatever,
like a beaver, a dam, likethere's a place to go sleep.
They're like more like us andyou're like this, the ocean,
like these animals, like, yes,they have their form of sleep,
(52:56):
but there's just constantmovement, there's never.
That never stops, and I thinkthat that makes me feel a little
anxious, yeah, weird, but and Ifeel my smallness, like around
the ocean, you feel how tiny youare it is something definitely
to be respected yes, verypowerful, yeah dwight, you got
(53:21):
some rapid fire questions for kr.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
I do If you have some rapid fire answers.
Speaker 1 (53:27):
I'll try my best.
I'm not the quickest thinker,but I'll try my best.
Speaker 2 (53:31):
All right.
So we have three rapid firequestions, the first of which is
what is a book or resource?
Every creative should read.
Speaker 1 (53:55):
You think that, oh gosh, I, I think, um, honestly,
I love fashion magazines becauseI think fashion for me is like
it is its own form of art, and Iknow we've been talking about
nature and all this stuff.
I think this kind of leans intomy urban side, but I think I'm
a very visual person and readingis great too.
(54:15):
Don't get me wrong.
There's great books to read,but when I'm thinking about
about like just creatives, likeI feel like sometimes, when
you're looking through andyou're seeing the colors and the
textures and the layers and youknow all those things to me, I,
I, you know, whether it's any,any kind of, I love magazines
Like, um, I don't subscribe tothem I should, but I will pick
(54:37):
them up when I have time and Ilove to just look through them
and just kind of absorb what'sgoing on.
Whether it is, you know, vogueor it is something that's a
little bit more artsy and morenarrow in its field.
I just love, I love looking atthe.
(54:57):
This is the visual stimulationthat I get I think is always
helpful If you're in a rut, likeit's a good place to look is.
Yeah, I think magazines aregreat.
That's cool, sounds sointellectual.
Speaker 3 (55:11):
Because that's not your typical answer.
I love it Right?
I?
Speaker 1 (55:14):
mean I could.
Yeah, I mean there's a lot ofgreat art books and stuff, but I
don't know.
I just like, I like letting mymind go and absorb.
Speaker 2 (55:25):
So, yeah, that that's a terrific, terrific answer.
So next one should be a loteasier.
What three words define yourartistic approach?
Speaker 1 (55:42):
I would say raw is like I use a lot of raw material
.
Um, I would say color.
I love color.
I think that's something I'mnaturally able to just pull
together.
For some weird reason, um, Idon't really plan out my
(56:02):
palettes and I just kind ofstart going with it, and so I
think color is something Ireally enjoy working with and
playing with.
So raw color and I would sayunexpected, because I don't
really know what I'm doing atthe time.
(56:23):
I mean, I know what I'm doingbut like I don't plan out the
piece, like it's definitely anevolution, so it's just an
unexpected to me, as well asmaybe the person that buys it.
I know it's going in the rightdirection or I'll do, but I
don't plan things out really.
Speaker 2 (56:39):
And it's kind of interesting how it's almost as
if we collaborated on these,because your answer to that
question kind of informs thenext question what is the most
unusual material you haveincorporated?
Into your art.
Speaker 1 (56:55):
Oh gosh.
Well, there is a story aboutwhy I have nails in my art, and
if we have time, I'll tell it.
Sure, why I have nails in myart, and if we have time, I'll
tell it.
So yeah, so in 2020, my husbandand I he wasn't, he just
recently retired due to hisParkinson's, but, believe it or
not, my husband was ananesthesiologist, and during
(57:18):
2020, they weren't doingelective surgeries, and so we
were like, let's go to Coloradofor six weeks, which we'd never
done.
So cause we I mean he would getlike weeks off, but it wasn't
like we would just take off forsix weeks.
So we went and we rented aplace where we could take all of
our dogs and we had a Bernie'smountain dog, I mean a Bernie
doodle, a Garfunkel, and we losthim last year, but he's my, my
(57:42):
hiking buddy, and so we would gohike every day like just
Garfunkel and I and I do a lotof creative thinking when I'm
hiking and so we were there forso long.
I had a lot of time to thinkabout what I wanted to do when I
got back to Dallas, and I hadbeen wanting to add sculpture to
my work, and so I was like, huh, I wonder if I could use paper
(58:05):
and like that's a byproduct oftrees and I work on wood and
blah, blah, blah and I was like,but I want to attach them with
nails.
I want to attach the paper withnails because I forever you can
look at my camera roll I takepictures of the nails that are
in the mining rooms and I alwaysthink, like, who put this nail
here?
I don't know, it's like weirdome, but that's what I think and
(58:27):
I'm like, oh, I wonder what itwas like to not have Patagonia,
like when they you know they'relike out here in the middle of
nowhere, like making thesecabins like 1800s and, you know,
freezing to death.
So, anyway, I got back home andI started doing that and the
first box of nails I bought werethese like old, primitive
(58:47):
looking nails that you can buylike at Hard Rock, elliot's or
something, and they're kind oflike triangular in shape with a
flat.
They're kind of flat, and Ithought, oh, this is super cool,
this is very like Coloradolooking.
And I punched it through thecanvas and it popped right back
out because it was so thick.
So I was like, well, so putthat box aside.
And then I just trial and error, started working with and I
(59:09):
found what would work.
So I've been.
I've been working on at thispoint about three and a half
years and my mom passed away in2019 from pancreatic cancer.
She was only sick for aboutfour months and she actually had
been in Colorado for a coupleof months with my dad when she
got home and started not feelingwell and she was hiking and
playing tennis.
(59:29):
My mom was young and veryactive and so this took us all
by surprise and she was my bestfriend other than my husband,
and so, anyway, thank you, Imiss her every day.
So, anyway, my dad he stayed attheir house until about 2023.
He moved into assisted living,but he's in an independent
living, so it's good, he's stillvery independent.
(59:52):
But it was my job, being the onethat lives here, to kind of
clean out the house and I thatwas in the upstairs, one of
their closets upstairs, and Ihave it now at the studio but I
have this piece of wood that mymom had collected.
My mom always picked up rocksand stuff, and I do the same
thing, but it was a piece ofwood with nails in it and they
(01:00:13):
were nails she had collectedfrom old mining runs and the
nails were the shape of thefirst box of nails that I bought
.
And so now I startedincorporating that box of nails
into different ways into my work.
So if you see this revivinggiants, I have a lot of those
nails tucked into some differentplaces.
(01:00:33):
So again, it's just kind of anod back to who I am and like
the relationships that build meand build all of us.
But my mom, as all of our moms,are just like the biggest thing
in our lives.
You know that so, so shaping,and she shaped my love for the
mountains and made me I didn'trealize it until I got older,
(01:00:55):
but she was the one that why Ialways stop and take pictures of
old campfires and why I always,you know, take pictures of
nails and cabins and likethey're this special thing and
they are special but they'revery common too, but they're
just magical to me.
But so that's kind of one ofthe one of the things I think
that sometimes people say, whyare you using nails?
(01:01:16):
And it really just goes back tothat very simple story of I
just wanted to attach the paperwith something that reminded me
of you know, something I'malways drawn to.
It's very common, common littleobject.
Nothing fancy about it.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
Kind of like me, but what an amazing story.
I mean that's you.
Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
Yeah, it was wild.
I almost died when I pulledthat out of the closet.
I was like I just had neverseen her collect the nails.
I've always seen her collectother things, but not that and
that she had them on this reallycool little piece of wood just
laying there.
So they're at my studio now.
Some people would say that youhad a visitation from your mom,
(01:02:01):
I agree, I agree and the showI'm working on I felt my mom so
much in this show, so much, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:02:12):
Can't wait to see it.
Speaker 1 (01:02:14):
I know I'm excited to share it.
Speaker 3 (01:02:16):
Christy, this has been awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:02:19):
Thank you, thanks for taking the time.
Speaker 3 (01:02:20):
Thank you so much for you know, pouring your heart
out and sharing your story.
Speaker 2 (01:02:24):
Yes, it's been amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:02:26):
You're welcome.
Thank you for giving me theopportunity to like explore
those things and share them, andhopefully they'll be a good
little nugget to somebody.
Speaker 3 (01:02:36):
I have no doubt.
Speaker 1 (01:02:38):
So, anyway, well, thanks guys.
You guys are amazing and y'allhave brought a lot of light into
my life as well, and I lovewhat you do and how you are just
, you know, so genuine and,again, authentic and how you
approach connecting with people,and it's just you can't be
helped but be drawn to both ofyou.
Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
So thank you, christy , that means a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:03:02):
Of course, of course.
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