The soil grows the flowers, the seed, the first growth. I watch it all. The glance. The reflections of the city on glass. The wind blowing the curtains open to reveal a foreign skyline. The children’s profiles against the red caboose. The trees swaying, reflected on the fender of a shiny car. I lay the color down layer by layer, so that the beginnings shine through. I plan carefully but welcome the miraculous mistake.

Every day when I work, I am grateful to be able to create art, as the Russians say to have “the blessed work” the opportunity to do what I love for my life’s vocation. My inspiration is to live and walk on God’s earth with my eyes open. My paintings are parables. Not illustrations of things, but a visual story, about what we see every day and either ignore or take for granted. These images speak to me personally, and the message continues for whoever will stop and listen. Every painting is a teacher, not only teaching me about color and form and the technical problem-solving that each one presents, but about appreciating what is here, before me, and listening to the hidden message, the mystery and beauty of life.

Claudia McKinstry

• Born in Seattle, Washington

• Lives on Bainbridge Island on Puget Sound

• BA in Art at University of Washington, Seattle

• Post Graduate Work at Seattle Pacific University

Professional Experience:

• National Award-winning Freelance illustrations for various publications

• Art Instructor, Fort Steilacoom Community College, Steilacoom, WA

• Art Instructor, Olympic College, Bremerton, WA

• Alternative High School Instructor, Bainbridge Island, WA

• Scenic Artist, Bainbridge Performing Arts, Bainbridge Island, WA

• Numerous national and international exhibitions

Installations at:

• Narita Airport, Tokyo

• MD Anderson Hospital, Houston

• Northwestern Hospital, Chicago

• Kaiser Hospital, Portland