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Well hey there! Glad you found me!
(maaaa-re christ-aaan-tay)
The artist and owner behind Fightsong Studio.
If I can make you smile, I will try.
If I can inspire you to dream a little bigger, I will try.
If I can ignite a fresh passion to help you dig deeper into your own bravery, I will try.
If I can create something for you to look at each day that reminds you to breathe fully and let go of heaviness, I definitely will try.
This artwork is a reflection of this desire. It's the result of trekking miles to the tops of mountains, wandered deep into old forests, and scoured many middle-of-nowhere places). I have bled, sweat, cried, and pushed through so many obstacles creating these pictures.I love getting to create my work!
WHY? Because I want you to SEE what you look like free and focused. I want you to catch a glimpse of yourself covered in grace. Oh, what can happen when we partner our grit with grace!
WHY? Because I'm a fan of YOU. I am convinced there is GOLD deep inside you that the world needs. I want to see you shine, baby!
WHY? Because if you shine, the world around you will start shining too. If you are inspired, (and learn to STAY inspired on your own rollercoaster)...you will change the world.
Currently, I live surrounded by three mountain ranges in a beautiful, tiny city called Redding in northern California. I’m an outdoorsy-Oregonian who grew up in eclectic Austin, Texas, as the youngest of a wildly creative, hard-working, adventurous, tightly-knit family of five.
I created my first pieces of photosurrealism in 2014. Before that I was a portrait and commercial photographer for over a decade. Camera in tow, I have been able to travel to countless remote corners of the world to find remarkable beauty and inspiration... and also a lot of gnarly potholes!
Potholes? What?
Read on, friend.
Potholes. Through my adventures and my photography career, I discovered that people "grow gnarly potholes" when we let our surroundings and circumstances dictate our beliefs. Gnarly potholes make for an aggravating ride for all.
Healthy or toxic, our belief systems affect everything in our lives: our relationships, our work, our bodies, our families, and our emotions.
I believe our imagination has a big role to play in aligning our thinking, feeling, and believing. Therefore, I make art that is as functional as it is beautiful. It is meant to ignite our imaginations, to help us develop healthy beliefs about ourselves and our surroundings, and smooth out those potholes.
You might also be interested to know that I have a deep relationship to the whole Trinity of God; Father, Son, and Spirit, and let me tell you....they are a blast! It's in the context of this relationship and loving community that my own potholes started to get smoothed out (and become less awful for everyone in my sphere).
As a result, a whole new dose of freedom and creativity were unlocked deeeeeeep inside. This majorly affects what and how I create. My inspiration is triggered by a simple prayer and posture, on earth as it is in heaven. I love to see light conquer darkness, bravery triumph over fear, and grace and peace and joy reign over insecurity. I juggle these themes as I adventure through each picture.
I am often asked if my pictures are paintings. Nope. I am an adventurer-to-the-core, so I leap at the opportunity to get away from the computer.
I start with an idea (the image feels like it drops down from the sky and slams into my gut). Turn it into a sketch. Scout the location. Nail down shooting logistics. Hunt for the wardrobe and props. Find a friendly model (or use myself if no one is around). I try to photograph all the components on locations near and far. Right now, I'm mostly a one-woman show.
Then, after soaking in some fresh air and showering off all the dirt and sweat from the shoot, I hand-stitch the images together digitally in my studio, with my dog Rhema cuddled at my feet.
It is a labor of love and exploration.
> I like charcuterie boards, brunches, outdoor adventures, and get-a-way weekends. And, curling up for a good Netflix-binge.
> I especially like being in the middle of dog piles. They make me feel relaxed, connected, and happy.
> I like to smile at people. And I like to ask questions.
> I have 4 adorable nieces and nephews who inspire me to be an example. Family is very important to me.
> I've had my fair share of rough seasons: Career burnout, not wanting to get out of bed, feeling lost and insignificant, insecure and inadequate. I'm a work in progress.
BONUS: I've got a "passionate" dog, Rhema. He has been known to over-wag his tail to the point of baking it, over-lick himself to the point of a prolapsed urethra and UTI, and over-sniff his surroundings to the point being bitten by a rattlesnake. That dog!!!!
I would love for you to inspire me to make a special piece of art around what you are going through.