Manner & Lane Feature by Claire Gibson

Changing Medium: Christina Baker
hristina Baker’s fascination with art began in her family’s backyard in Amelia Island, Florida. It started with mud pottery shaped meticulously from wet, brown dirt and placed in the sun, to bake. Every time the art crumbled to dust, young Christina would try again. Today, Christina has much greater success with a different medium—acrylic paint. Her self-taught artistry began when she explored landscapes, florals and abstract art, and eventually, co-owned a gallery. Three years ago she relocated to Tennessee, before marrying her husband in 2010, and felt like she was completely starting over. Much to her delight and surprise, Christina’s most-recent abstract series, Fresh Water—cool blues, vivid greens and stirring grays and whites—has received wide acclaim. She is currently represented by Gregg Irby Fine Art in Atlanta, as well as Imagine Gallery of American Fine Art and Objects in Franklin, Tennessee. And while gallery managers help display and sell her large four- and five-foot pieces, they also nurture Christina’s artistic growth. A year ago, it was Gregg Irby who suggested Christina move away from black and employ more grays and softer colors. She accepted the guidance, and her first canvases with the new palette sold before the paint was dry. She’s been under pressure to produce more in the same series ever since. “Abstract work is so intuitive,” Christina says. “I never look at anything when I paint, it’s just all about the mood I’m in. I can do some of my best work when I’m engaged in conversation, because I’m not thinking too much about the painting.” Within the last year, her pieces have been displayed on the exclusive online art gallery, Escape Into Life. And now, Christina’s artistic mentors are suggesting an even bigger change: upgrading her medium from acrylic to oil. That move could double, if not triple, the sale price of her work. Until that change comes, Christina spends countless hours, six (sometimes seven) days a week in her studio in Franklin, trying to keep up with growing demand, and taking one exciting, humbling and uncomfortable step at a time. Look for her new series of oils in 2013. Site: Manner & Lane

CLAIRE GIBSON
freelance writer | nashville, tn
@clairecgibson
www.clairegibson.com

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Price Increase and Why

I've noticed an ongoing trend this past year with art; people are really coming back to originals
and giving it a great deal of thought while making their decision. Art is so very unique that most
collectors are willing to wait for that very special piece to enter their life verses shopping for a car
in one weekend. Commissions really seem to be the new red which means we have been quite the
busy bees creating custom pieces for just the right space in someones life.  : ) 

A lot of artists are not only stocking up on inventory but are making sure our

current project at hand has our undivided attention. That attention is focused on quality and details.

Business has indeed picked up for many of us and it seems to be happening all at once.
This in return creates the issue of supply and demand. With that said, I am announcing
an across the board price increase on my work that will stagger starting now
through Oct. 2012. This is actually a good thing for those who have
been collectors of my work over the years. Depending on the environment,

I will be revisiting this subject again somewhere around the first of the year, but please
know I will do my very best to keep the price point of my work on the affordable side.

Thank you again so much for the many wonderful years of continues success.

For any questions please feel free to send me an email: christinartlong@hotmail.com

www.christinabaker.net