Biography
Christine Valentini was born in Vienna Austria, came to Canada in 1964, and now lives in Aurora with her husband Mike. Her love of the Canadian landscape influences all aspects of her artwork and having a retreat in Haliburton provides her with endless opportunities to express it. Christine’s work is diverse and interesting and involves most media, however her preference is for watercolour although she also enjoys creating unique miniature landscapes in oils using a palette knife - that is, whenever she is not focussing on larger contemporary abstract paintings using inks and mixed media
Christine’s interest in art and drawing led her to take classes at the Wexford Collegiate Art Centre and painting trips have taken her to Europe, the United States, eastern and western Canada – leaving northern Canada yet to be explored. She takes part in many public art shows and juried exhibitions, including the McMichael and Varley Galleries. Her work has won many awards of excellence and is included in private collections in Europe, Japan, the United States and Canada. A collection of local historical homes, purchased by the Town of Aurora, is on display in the Aurora Town Hall, second floor.
Subject matter and media for Christine’s paintings varies widely – oils for landscapes, watercolours for florals, historical homes or northern scenes. While much of her work is detailed and traditional, some of it represents intuitive interpretations of nature-based abstracts, swirling masses of water, enormous mountains, Northern Lights and tiny 2” x 2” images created with inks and mixed media. Her more mysterious larger works sometimes stretch to 26” x 40”.
Christine was honoured to receive an Arts & Culture Recognition Award in 2016 by the Town of Aurora for her many years of contributing and volunteering to the arts. With the help of fellow artists and friends she encouraged the Town of Aurora to participate in the Canada 150 Birthday Mosaic Mural project in 2017. Her design was chosen and the mural can be seen in the Aurora Leisure complex upper floor. Many young and old residents painted squares to make up the mural and are very proud of their efforts. https://canada150mosaic.com/aurora/
Christine is an active member of The Art Guild of Scarborough, the Society of York Region Artists, the Bancroft Art Gallery and the Georgina Arts Centre and Gallery.
