Christine Destrempes
Artist Statement My work explores the personality of water. I am influenced and inspired daily by observing the lakes, streams, and marshes that surround me in rural New Hampshire. I am drawn to water’s reflective stillness as well as its capacity for transformation,seamless adaptability, and proclivity to follow the path of least resistance. Appearing constant as it rushes, water is the perfect embodiment of permanence and impermanence. By observing it, there is much to learn about navigating life.
For many of us, clean water is readily available, yet around the world more than a billion people are suffering today from the effects of clean water shortage. My intention is to raise awareness of the global issues around clean water by my artistic interpretation of water’s myriad characteristics.
My monotypes are done on steel plates using mixed etching inks, then rolled by hand through an etching press. Some of the images are built with several – usually 10 to 20 – different impressions transferred to one sheet of paper. Mostly I use imported, hand made paper with various textures and rich colors.
Each is a unique print, although sometimes I use the ghosted image left on the plate after the final pull to create variations on a theme.
Biography background
Born in Fall River, Massachusetts S June 20, 1952
During a brief encounter with higher education I majored in fine arts, then worked for more than 20 years in the graphic design, marketing, and publishing industries as a designer, consultant, and illustrator. Sixteen years ago I began working as a freelance designer and illustrator, and shortly thereafter started to paint, then to make monotypes. Ten years ago, I abandoned graphic design to focus on painting and print making. In June of 2009, I completed my first installation, 13,699, and started Art for Water, a program to raise awareness of water issues through public participation art.
solo exhibitions
2011 River of Words Stream of Conscience, Sharon Arts Downtown Gallery, Peterborough, NH
2010 Pingree School, South Hamilton, MA 2010
2010 D:2:E Conference, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
2006 & 2004 Anderson-Soule Gallery, Concord, NH
selected group exhibitions
2011 The Value of Water, St. John the Divine Cathedral, New York, NY
2011 Watermark, Woolen Mill Gallery, Reedsburg, WI
2011 Ripple Effect, The Art of H2O, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
2010 Green Too, Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Art Center, Solomons, MD
2009 Downstream, Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene State College, Keene, NH
2009 Water: Mystery & Plight, Sharon Arts Exhibition Gallery, Peterborough, NH
2008 Blanche Ames National Art Exhibition, North Easton, MA
2008 The Secret Knowledge of Water, Nave Gallery, Somerville, MA
2008 GALEX 42, National Juried Competition, Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, IL
2007 Essex Art Center, Annual Juried Show, Lawrence, MA
2007 Alexandria Museum of Art 20th September Competition, Alexandria, LA
2007, 2002 & 1998 Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery Biennial Competition, Keene, NH
2006 Two Rivers Printmaking Studio: Momenta II, White River Junction, VT
2005 NH Institute of Art Biennial, Manchester, NH
2004 NH Printmaking, Sharon Arts Exhibition Gallery, Peterborough, NH
2003 Gallery Victoria: Art Escapes, Naples, FL
2002 The Assignment: Self-Portrait, Jaffrey Civic Center, Jaffrey, NH
2003 & 1998 Fitchburg Art Museum Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft, Fitchburg, MA
curated exhibitions
2009 Downstream, Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, with Maureen Ahern, Director, Keene State College, Keene, NH
2009 Water: Mystery & Plight, Sharon Arts Exhibition Gallery, Peterborough, NH
lectures & programs: Art for Water, ongoing ❍ Sharon Arts Center, Printmaking Panel Discussion, April, 2010 ❍ Essex Art Center, Gallery Talk, November 2007 ❍ Sharon Arts Center, Left Bank Artists Group Gallery Talk, December 2006 ❍ Anderson-Soule Gallery, Demystifying the Monotype Print, October 2004 ❍ Western Massachusetts Women’s Caucus for Art “Artists Speak Series” The Creative Process, November 2002
corporate collections: Sulloway & Hollis, Concord, NH ❍ Concord Hospital, Concord, NH ❍ Nixon, Peabody, LLP, Boston, MA ❍ Florida Cancer Specialists, Bonita Springs, FL ❍ North Run Capital, Boston, MA
awards: Anne Slade Frey Charitable Trust Grant, 2009 & 2010 ❍ Artist in Residence, Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, NH 2009 & 2010 ❍ NH Allstate Art Festival Mentor, Currier Art Museum, Manchester, NH 2008 & 2009 ❍ Artists Professional Toolbox Fellow, Boston, MA 2007 ❍ Clowes Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT 2003 ❍ Award of Distinction, Gallery Victoria, Naples, FL 2003
represented by
Bevara, Ipswich, MA