Christine Holub Carrig spent her childhood watching colors dance and flute across the ever-changing expanse of the Kansas sky. The magnificence of these wild skies and their glorious color schemes influenced her creative mind and love for color.

She pursued her passion for art and visual communication by studying graphic design at UC Santa Cruz. Here, she honed her design, composition, and color theory skills, which set the foundation for her visual voice. Christine then attended St. Mary’s College, where she studied marketing and graduated with honors.

As an artist, Christine’s work is characterized by an analogous color palette, asymmetrical composition, and sensitivity to negative space.

Her love of nature and a deep connection to the Mother Ocean and the Natural World is an influence and theme in all her work.

Christine’s artistic style has been shaped by the influence of two artists with whom she studied under for over ten years. The styles and techniques of Sue Grim Langert from Langert Fine Art and Susan Carkeek-Harris from Fly on the Wall Art School have had a significant impact on Christine’s own work.

Collection Title:

Looking Beyond…Nothing feels like a caress from the Mother Ocean, and nothing inspires my creativity more than a walk along her sandy arms or a ride upon her as waves tippity tap and ceaselessly dance. I treasure each creature and plant, those that live within her, and the ones that reside on her sandy stretched limbs – the mounds of decaying kelp, the rocks wrapped in soft moss, the slithering snails, the scuttling crabs, and huge sunfish that bob for warmth as they surface from the blue vastness. Nothing brings me greater joy than being near the Ocean. I have shared these heart-felt feelings on canvas and paper to honor the crimson fish, pulled from the deep, and the pieces of kelp and seaweed picked from the shore. By adapting my concept of beauty, I discovered that the contours, surface, and colors of shell fragments were stunning delights in their imperfection.I looked beyond a concept… and discovered that what was once beautiful had remained so.

Shell paintings:
The artist picked up each shell fragment and appreciated it for its grace of imperfection. The background is an abstraction of diatoms, creatures that support oceanic life. The colors are muted, and the shells are smooth to the touch. The concept that drove this series of paintings was to break preconceived notions of societal definitions of traditional beauty and perfection by looking beyond the obvious shape. Here, you will discover the uniqueness of each tin bit and the loveliness of broken fragments. And when these fragments are viewed holistically, you can then see the true definition of grace and beauty. The true wonder of this artwork is discovering the beauty of each shell fragment.

Fish prints:
The prints feature various rockfish that the artist herself pulled from the ocean’s depths. They are hand-printed and hand-embellished with watercolor and graphite. The artist’s love for these beautiful fish is reflected in paying homage to their stunning scales, large eyes, and full lips. They truly are incredible creatures!