Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Ross.
Hi Christy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Never in a million years would I have imagined that I’d be doing what I love: making art and teaching others how to make it! I went to school for design at UCLA and got my art education teaching credential at CSULA. My first job out of college was painting furniture for celebrities. I painted Pierce Brosnan’s kid’s bed with sailboats. Fast forward twenty-five years, now I’m painting sailboats on my own canvases, selling them, and teaching others how to paint them at my Paint & Sip parties. I had wanted to be an art major at UCLA having gotten into both the design and art majors, but my dad strongly encouraged me to go with the design major because I’d be more employable. Well, he wasn’t wrong! For nearly ten years, I worked in the movie industry colorizing movies on proprietary software as a designer for Legend Films. The projects included Shirley Temple, The Three Stooges, Aviator, and The PGA Masters. The Arnold Palmer PGA Masters project I led and was nominated for a technical Emmy! Having my degree in design has been extremely helpful in running my business Christy Ross Art. I’ve designed my website, art cards, flyers for my Paint & Sips, the list goes on. Being able to use technology as best I can helps me save money and do things for myself.
During the pandemic, I had to quit my art teaching job to stay at home and do distance learning with my son. During that time, I painted and painted and painted. I would post my vivid acrylic paintings on social media. People started asking if my work was for sale. I, of course, said YES! I sold canvas print after canvas print, and finally, an original painting sold and ended up on the east coast. After a request from my aunt Peggy in New Jersey, I created my cards. Complete with stories describing the inspiration for the art, on the back of the cards. I sold out of my cards during Christmas and had to get more printed. My cards were my first product on my website. I had to learn how to add a shop, accepting payments and calculating shipping, etc. Now I sell canvas prints, giclee prints, tote bags and original paintings on my website. In that moment I sold out of my cards, I knew I was onto something. Now, my website has evolved into a ticket selling spot for my Paint & Sips. I use a QR code on my flyers so people can directly connect to buy tickets. My Paint & Sips have become a major focal point for Christy Ross Art. Along with selling art products at Clairemont Coffee, Vinya, and Divine Flowers, I attend the Clairemont Garden Tour as a vendor, sell at Linda Vista Farmer’s Market during the summers, and attend other local art fairs. Currently, I’m on the waitlist for Art Walk Little Italy in April.
I hope that my signature vivid colors make people smile. Whether it’s while teaching my painting The Dream Awaits, which features a vibrant sunset from photographer Willy Johannes of Reykjavik, Iceland, or the sunrise of Sweet Escape, which features a tree silhouette and brilliant sunrise inspired by photographer and triathlete enthusiast Mackenzie Wieser, I want people to smile and feel free when they look at or make art inspired by my work!
I did my first Paint & Sip in my sister’s dining room two years ago when my friend and former coworker Cheryl White asked me if I would do a paint party with her law student friends. I, of course, said YES! There were nine people, and I charged $40 per person. It was a complete success! We painted The Cloud, a painting I did inspired by my high school friend Angela Christensen Riddle from St. Croix. Two years later, I’ve done Paint & Sips for a private retreat, holiday parties, a backyard garden patio party at the Humble Bean Cafe, and two parties at Clairemont Coffee. I am currently in the talks with the owners of Clairemont Coffee to have a monthly Paint & Sip! My most recent Paint & Sip had 15 people and I charged $55 a person. Growing this part of my business is extremely satisfying. I get to use all that I’ve learned teaching my K-8 students with adults who get to experience the fun of being creative and get to take home a masterpiece.
Currently, I teach art at two schools: St. Didacus Parish School, located in Normal Heights, and Pacific Coast Academy, a home school network in San Diego. Getting to work with kids is a tremendous joy! Their flare for creativity inspires me in my own art. Working part-time as a K-8 art teacher allows me to have consistent income and the flexibility to grow my art business in terms of my Paint & Sips, commissions, doing art shows such as the Linda Vista Farmers Market, and working on future collections of my art.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Making art doing what I love comes easy for the most part. Running a business requires a lot of work, dedication, and discipline. I ran into a lot of roadblocks when creating my website. Technology doesn’t come to me naturally, so I’ve been on the phone with my website provider quite a bit, figuring out how to add my shop, increase the class size of an event, and how to adjust sizes of canvas prints on my website. People assume that my husband Brian has designed my website since he’s an IT Engineer, but he hasn’t touched my website.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My ability to connect with people with my art and teaching it sets me apart from other artists. I’m very comfortable communicating techniques and demonstrating what I know about making art. It’s one thing to create a pretty painting, but to be able to teach someone who claims they “don’t have an artistic bone in their body” how to paint and do it well is a skill I have developed over ten years of teaching.
My signature vivid colors stand out! My tagline “Escape to an inspired place.” is something I take to heart I make art to transform people to someplace new, exciting and relaxing. Even better, I want to teach someone how to create that for themselves. Not as a paint by number method, but actually teaching painting techniques, giving them the freedom to be creative and the knowledge they will take home with them, my painting classes for kids and adults will stay with them even after the class.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
As classroom expectation no.5 is listed in my art classroom at St. Didacus, “Don’t give up!”. If I can’t solve a problem on my own, I find someone, YouTube or google to help me. I don’t really take no for an answer. Back in 2022, I emailed the art curator of the Pannikin Coffee & Tea in Encinitas to see if I could have a show there. I had only done a handful of paintings and was “Sent to the list.” Six months later, after painting some more and having created a pretty awesome website, I applied again, and she asked if I could show that September. Fast forward, my 15-painting show called “Breathe” was hit as I was told by the owners during a photo shoot there that it was “The most colorful art exhibit to date.” Don’t give up.
Pricing:
- Paint & Sip Ticket $55
- Set of 8 cards $25
- matted giclee print $30
- art tote $40
- Sunset Harbor original painting $2,900
Contact Info:
- Website: www.christyross.art
- Instagram: christyrossart
- Facebook: christyrossart
Image Credits
Christina Chargualaf Eduardo
Sherry Madison
Judy Keane
Hilary Murdock
Jennyvbeauty
