Interview by Jimon

1. Where do you currently reside and paint?  I currently reside in the Pacific Northwest in the state of Oregon. I paint in my private on-site studio.

2. At what age did you start painting? And how did it all start?  I started painting in my early 20’s as a way to express my way out of winter isolation living in a remote mountain town in Canada, it really all started there.

3. Do you remember the first piece of art that captured your imagination? The first piece of art that captured my imagination was a handmade card presented to me by my elder sister of twelve years. She illustrated a simple botanical illustration in black ink and added the tiniest spots of color. I was so smitten, it was so simple and beautiful. I remember how meaningful it was. I was maybe five years old.

4. One word to describe Christina Romeo? Gritty.

5. Are you trying to send a message through your art or is it purely for inspiration?  Even though my intent is not to send a message through my art, because I work from an emotional framework, an inherent message is transferred to the viewer by connection via the emotion he or she feels. On that level a message is sent.

6. What makes you decide a painting is finished? I am an extremely analytical person and almost always I approach my work with some level striving for balance of color, form, and structure using analysis. Each step is analyzed before the next step is taken. Upon each reflective step , an answer or message just pops into my head about where the next line, color, form needs to be placed until I get to a point where my gut says , “she’s done”.

7. How do you choose the colors in your paintings? Choosing color is instinctual for me.

8. What kind of art hangs on the walls of your home?  I love original work from unknown artists. I have amazing watercolor abstract figurative work from a few Korean artists. I love editorial illustrations from the New Yorker. Most of the work hanging on my walls tends to be works on paper, framed. I am a huge collector of vintage glass and trinkets.

9. What influences you as an artist? I am influenced by drive and my need to analyze both physical and mental processes. I am a ‘contemplator’ but also very driven. I ponder things and work them out on paper, canvas, wood, etc.

10. How do you see Christina Romero in 20 years? I see myself retired from my “day job” living on a small piece of property, organic farming, living in my energy efficient steel container home with tons of windows and a HUGE studio.  I see myself spending more time on writing, teaching, supporting and inspiring/lifting others.

11. Do you listen to music whilst creating, if so what genre?  I love all music and yes, I need to listen to some sort of music while creating. Depending on mood the music can range from Banks to hip hop (Cardi B).

12. If you could have dinner with three artists living or dead, who would be at your table?  Oh geez only three???

Santiago Ramón y Cajal

Adrian Ghenie

Beatrix Potter

13. Three things you can’t live without in your studio?  Pencil, Paper, Pen (black ink).

14. Do you have a place/person or thing that you visit for inspiration?  I would say for sure nature, and that is just inspiration on life in general, not necessarily inspiration for a piece of work. One’s perspective changes when venturing out into the woods. Life becomes inspiring looking at the trees, breathing the air, the flowers, etc. The jaw dropping beauty of just being outside brings everything else in life into perspective. It keeps me humble and grateful.  Oh, and also vintage trinkets or vintage photographs.

15. Anything else you’d like to mention?  I would like to say thank you for taking the time to get to know me a tiny bit. If you would like to book me for your Lip Sync hip hop band, please reach out.

In the meantime, I am working on a children’s book with brilliantly tragic illustrations, both dark and poignant for both cool kids and cool-ish adults. Stay tuned.