About the ARTIST

Being the sixth of nine children, the world of Art was not of primary importance for a struggling immigrant family so her desire to go to Art School in her teen years was never fulfilled. But her artistic nature was not suppressed as it came out in everything she did.

After she married Jerry, they found a piece of land in the country—with no electricity—but with an incredible view and a sparkling spring fed creek! They built a cabin and over the next two years Chris’ spiritual journey began. This searching led them away from their paradise—and took them into the heart of God.

In 1980, six months of intense study of the Bible brought Chris to faith in Jesus, and this is when God gave her the gift to paint, and, by revelation, when she “saw” and understood the "Promise Story".

This led to four years of study at Prairie Bible Institute which earned them each a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Education, plus a Teacher’s Diploma for Chris. After two years of training with Wycliffe Bible Translators/Summer Institute of Linguistics, Jerry and Chris served as missionaries to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for fourteen years.

While in PNG there wasn’t much time for painting or studying but with the need to learn to grow, Azusa Pacific University of California provided the opportunity.

Operation Impact is a degree program designed to meet the needs of missionaries abroad, so by extension, Chris completed a Master of Arts Degree in Social Science. In 1997, she participated in the graduation ceremony at Azusa Pacific University while returning home to Canada for a one year home assignment.

During that year home she took one year of Fine Arts history classes at the University of Lethbridge, and hoped she could one day fulfill her life long dream to study and learn how to paint, but God didn’t seem to think she needed that.

He had something better in mind.

Jerry and Chris returned to their special place in the country and built a lovely home—with an amazing studio—and that is a story in itself! Finally in 2008, twenty eight years after the vision was first given and still with no formal Art training, the PROMISE STORY became a reality. (see About the Painting)