Ahwatukee mom turns painting into her passion
Ahwatukee resident Christine Hartland has done it all – Kyrene de la Colina’s Parent-Teacher Organization, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, the National Charity League and more.
Recently, the 46-year-old has devoted just as much time to something else: painting. During August, her works are being featured in a monthlong display at The CoffeeBuzz at 4804 E. Chandler Blvd.Hartland said her passion was born seven years ago when she took a watercolor class with her daughter. Soon after, she started painting with acrylics as a hobby. Seascapes, ocean scenes and sea animals, inspired by Hartland’s love of marine biology, were common subjects.
Then, this past fall, Hartland’s children, Kate, 13, and Robert, 9, encouraged her to sign up for the Tempe Festival of the Arts.
It was intimidating, Hartland said.
“You had to have a photo of your display and I didn’t even have a display,” she said.
So the former commercial litigation lawyer started doing what she does best: She got to work.
By the time she showed her pieces at the March festival, Hartland had a Web site, a business license and prints of her paintings.
She has since created a notecard series featuring her work, attended California’s La Jolla Festival of the Arts and made efforts to collaborate with local charities.
“Everything about the whole thing just felt so right,” Hartland said.
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