About the Artist

It was in high school, that artist Chris Reese completed her first painting, an ambitious self-portrait done in oil.  Art was fun and had always been a part of her life but, when it came time for college Chris turned her focus to writing and graduated with a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Texas.  Upon graduation, Chris worked as a television reporter and news anchor.   Chris loved the fast pace of the work, each day meant a new story to tell, new people to interview and new topics to explore.   She then realized the people skills she had fine-tuned in the news industry, transitioned quite seamlessly into sales.   Chris embarked on a successful career in corporate sales earning the company’s title of top sales producer several years in a row.

Chris always planned to reignite her love of art and in 2022, while still working full-time in her sales position, Chris became a student at the Texas Hill Country Atelier.   The art program was three days a week and Chris managed to juggle her job as a sales executive with what was quickly becoming a passion … art!   Her commitment to drawing and painting grew rapidly.   During this time, Chris developed a strong attraction to Russian Impressionism and the work of the late artist, Sergei Bongart.   It was not only Bongart’s use of color that attracted her, but it was the expression and emotion he conveyed with each painting that Chris found exciting.   Bongart was a prolific teacher and Chris sought out artists who had studied directly with Bongart or studied with one of Bongart’s apprentices.   Chris found and has studied with accomplished German artist Guido Frick and master of light artist Cheri Christensen.  Chris has also studied with world renowned artists Kevin MacPherson and Sherrie McGraw.

Chris now works full-time on her art and considers herself a perpetual student.  She prefers to paint from life and paints directly from a model several days a week in addition to her plein air, outdoor painting sessions.   Chris is most interested in capturing those sweet and often fleeting moments.   It might be a child napping next to his steer at the county fair, a couple dancing or the reflection on a river of golden grasses at sunset.  It’s most often the human connections and life’s simple pleasures that Chris celebrates in her paintings.    Her love of people and her love of learning are what Chris says, “fuels my passion for painting!”