Mary Cristine Blake

Born in Modesto, California

Lives & does odds and ends in Santa Rosa, CA

I was pretty cute when I was little. Now I'm an old lady. Still making art when I can.

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I always drew. And, while working, I started to paint. After retiring, I dove into watercolor. My husband insisted we learn to SCUBA dive, and then to sail which meant moments of intense joy mixed with panic (I'm afraid of the water). I also volunteered, focusing on wildlife rescue facilities. I began in WildCare's (San Rafael) hospital where I cared for an amazing variety of animals. Then I began working with ambassador animals, which I do even today, taking Red-tailed Hawks, Screech Owls and Great Horned Owls to schools. And from these experiences has come most of my paintings. I was slow to start painting birds. I didn't want something "cute" or totems of my own hopes and desires for a more meaningful world (so hard to avoid). I wanted to treat them with respect, to show them as alive and as individuals, even as imperfect beings like all of us are.