As a participant in the journey of my subject, I seek to capture the transformative moments in the lifecycles of flowers.
Finding inspiration in my local environment, I use flowers from my personal garden and a local grower. Drawn in graphite, I often include insects and pollinators to add a touch of whimsy while underscoring the critical role these creatures play in the ecosystem. My work is an ode to the beauty and resilience of nature, and I hope to inspire viewers to appreciate and protect the natural world around them.
BIOGRAPHY | b. 1970
Christine Mercer-Vernon is a contemporary American painter living and working in south central Pennsylvania.
Born outside Philadelphia, her family relocated to the mountains of northern Pennsylvania when she was ten. Surrounded by woods and streams, she spent her time exploring nature on her terms, developing a deep curiosity for the natural world.
After graduating college with a degree in graphic arts, she worked for twenty years as a medical and educational textbook illustrator and graphic designer, while continuing her artistic studies, taking workshops with Jon DeMartin, Carlo Russo, and Lisa Gloria.
Christine resides in York, where she works from her home studio, surrounded by nature on a wooded property.
My Process
Inspired by botanical illustrations, my paintings combine direct observation with harmonic symmetry to create dynamic compositions which capture a time-lapse of the lifecycle of local flora.
Beginning with a distressed, toned background, I use various household items to create organic marks using a grid system known as the harmonic armature to find areas of focus where I add overlapping circles.
The circles represent timelessness, relating to the continual cycle of life, death, decay, and rebirth within the natural world.
Engaging the harmonic armature again, I weave together varying stages of the floral lifecycle, one stem at a time.
Painting from life allows me to witness and depict the transformation of my subjects as accurately as possible.
Working from a collection of deceased insects I’ve accumulated over time, I include bees and other pollinators, drawn in graphite.
