Meet Kristina Baker | Artist and Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristina Baker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristina, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
There is a quote by Pema Chödrön, an American Tibetan-Buddhist nun, that I have carried with me for years. It reads, “Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.” From this quote, I’ve gleaned the importance of vulnerability and taking risks, which are major components in my quest for self-knowledge and personal/professional fulfillment. Making progress towards my goals entails repeatedly putting myself in positions of potential failure; to fear failure of any kind would be to stagnate. This quote has helped me believe that perseverance is the answer to moving through perceived setbacks so greater potentialities can be discovered.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My paintings have undergone tremendous changes over the course of the past ten years- as I grow and evolve personally, my work follows suit. I strive for authenticity in my work, continually discovering new ways to make my painting process match my state of mind and being, whether that be through choice in medium, subject matter, or paint application methods. I think of images as metaphors and frequently choose to depict scenes that mirror my experiences and cognitive processes. My current body of work is inspired by The Tomb of the Diver in Paestum, Italy, an art historical site from the 5th century BCE; the ceiling of the frescoed tomb depicts a lone diver leaping from a great height into a pool of water. The imagery of the diver has resonated with me since I learned about the tomb 14 years ago, and more so now that I have taken up lap swimming as sport. I interpret the act of diving as a symbolic leap between realms: between life and death, or one waking decision and the next. The act of diving reveals commitment to an action, and working with a suspended moment elongates the time between making a decision and arriving at the inherent consequences. Upon this theme, I am currently creating a series of 5ft oil paintings, as well as large scale charcoal drawings on paper that depict figures captured in the act of diving.

I have built up my studio and painting business over many years, primarily through word of mouth, and more recently through social media, web presence, and professional collaborations. One thing I wish I had been taught earlier in my career is that being a successful artist requires some real business skills. I think if more fine artists viewed themselves as entrepreneurs, a lot of hurdles to living a creative life could be more easily solved and overcome. After I graduated from my undergraduate program, I realized I didn’t have the knowledge I needed regarding how to run a business or propel my work out into the world to partake in exhibitions or generate sales. I spent a lot of time reading and seeking the advice of more established artists in order to gather the pertinent information I felt I was lacking.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the greatest things about California is that it’s possible to go from the beach to city to the mountains to the desert in a single day. I love spending time outdoors, so most of the activities I would choose revolve around exploring and seeing wilderness. One of my favorite places in Southern California is the Cleveland National Forest; the range is extensive, and I spend a lot of time there hiking, off-roading, and generally exploring. The landscape is so quintessentially California, with dramatic canyons, winding roads, dry brush, and drought-tolerant native plants. I feel a kinship with this landscape and I love introducing people to the unique beauty of this geography. Some of my favorite places in the forest include Silverado Canyon, Los Pinos Peak, the Main Divide Truck Trail, Casper’s Wilderness Park, the town of Julian, the Palomar Observatory, and a couple hidden waterfalls.

No trip to California is complete without spending time at the beach, some of my favorite spots being in San Diego county around Torrey Pines and Encinitas, and locally in Crystal Cove.

Lately I’ve really been enjoying taking friends to the Orange County Museum of Art, which is an amazing museum locally in Orange County. I also love taking people to view the extensive number of galleries and museums in LA. I use CurateLA to map out exhibitions I’d love see at any given time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My long-time friend and painting mentor, Greg LaRock, passed away in 2020. He was the first working artist I encountered in my lifetime, and perhaps the first person to see and support my artistic potential. Spending time with him helped me believe from an early age that pursuing the arts could be a viable and fruitful career choice. He gave me my first tubes of oil paint and taught me how to use them, drove me to figure drawing classes as a teenager, let me attend his painting workshops free of charge, and was always extremely generous with his time and knowledge. He was an immensely encouraging presence and offered a great deal of guidance in the formative years of my becoming an artist. I hold a very deep reverence for his work, and have a tremendous amount of gratitude for the unconditional and unwavering support he provided me and so many other artists during his lifetime.

Website: https://www.kristinarosebaker.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krbakerart/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-rose-baker-a4ba3b9a/