Biography from Nova Gallery of Fine Art:
| Eric Christensen began painting professionally in 1992. Since that time he has devoted himself to creating hyperrealistic watercolors reflective of the inspiration he derives from the wine country surrounding his home in California. Christensen intends his “wine art” to begin where most contemporary wine artists
leave off by capturing the romance of the wine county, which he points
out, “is so much more than just the wine”. Subjects include landscapes and intimate still life paintings with
a variety of elements including food, flowers or fruit with appropriate
background settings.
Self-taught, he paints with an invented watercolor technique that allows him to create hyper-real images of vibrant color intended to go beyond the look and depth of a high quality photograph. By “pushing” watercolor paint to its
absolute limits, Christensen has invented a new way to paint with this
traditional medium. Using non-standard watercolor paper and employing a
dry-brush technique, Eric starts out with thin washes then builds
meticulously to over 30 subsequent layers of paint. You can actually
see the build-up of the paint layers when you look closely at his
originals. Eric’s technique allows him to achieve much stronger colors
and shadows than can be found with traditional watercolor art; his
paintings actually appear more like an oil painting on canvas.
Christensen began to develop his interest in painting, as well as botany, classical music, and gourmet cooking as a child in Salt Lake City, Utah. Over time he has striven to acquire a commanding knowledge in each of these fields.
Once he realized that he could concentrate his passion for painting into a career, Christensen opened his own gallery in Yountville, California, a small picturesque town in the heart of the Napa Valley. This venture has brought him exposure including a national television spot on “Wine Country Living”. Christensen however, decided to close his gallery in 2003, allowing him to devote his full attention to painting,
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| ** If you discover credit omissions or have additional information to add, please let us know at registrar@AskART.com. |
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