The Full Story
About
Discover the history and drive behind Crystal's dynamic and creative paintings
Biography
Crystal Rassi is an award winning, internationally collected artist who's been painting throughout her lifetime. Her journey began in a small prairie town in Saskatchewan, Canada where she was always either drawing, designing residential architecture, or building forts out of sticks and snow.
After three years of university studies in fine arts in Alberta and Saskatchewan, she decided to switch her degree to design with a concentration in architecture at the University of Manitoba where she received her bachelors degree. During her time as a designer and detailer, she raised her family with her husband in Saskatchewan for 13 years while also painting, showing and selling her work and teaching art in her community. Prairie culture and landscape were a major theme in her art during this time.
A life would have it, the pandemic greatly affected their life and a door opened in the West and they moved to North Vancouver where she now practices art full time and teaches art part time at her local recreation and culture centre.
Artist Statement
A huge part of Crystal's journey has revolved around residential architecture and the idea of what home means to different people and cultures. Canada is a melting pot of culture with a huge variety of definitions of home.
Home can be:
Where your belongings are
Where you feel safe
Where you sleep
Where people you love most are
Where you share similar values with people around you
Where you work
Where you play
Where you value time spent
Where your best memories lay
A place you fight for
A climate you're surrounded by
People, places, and politics you're familiar with
My narrative work gives a a partial and bias view of how Canadian culture lives or desires to live. I can never represent all people in Canada but share observations of the lifestyle of the people I am surrounded by, the places I've lived, and the culture I grew up in.
These narratives are driven by the landscape and plein air paintings I also produce. At times, these studies are a way of expressing the unique and beautiful environment Canada has to offer and also drives my exploration of basic painting elements like color, line, value, and composition. Paintings like these enhance my growth as a narrative artist.
FIND ME
If you're hoping to see my work in person or purchase work, I am represented by two galleries and am a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists where I show my work in various shows throughout the year. I also connect with public venues and will announce those on social media as well as my VIP list where you will gain access to behind the scenes information, first viewing of new work, educational resources and more. Below are links to all venues and galleries and as always, much more is available right here on this website.
REPRESENTATION
Art Gallery Kimberley, Kimberley, BC.
The Lloyd Gallery, Penticton, BC.
REGULAR VENUES
The Federation Gallery, Grandville Island, Vancouver, BC
Shows Announced on social media and VIP list.
The Granary Restaurant, Saskatoon, SK. Always on display and can be purchased through my website. Contact me for any questions or concerns.
