"If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney’s words may very well set the stage of Kristine Andrea’s life. Born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Kristine first put pencil to paper at age 9, bringing art to life on the page. Though she enjoyed the success that winning art competitions brought, Kristine’s motivation came from the pure fascination of bringing images to life through paint or pencil.
"My high school teacher was one of my biggest fans and did his best to mentor me towards becoming a professional artist and to continue on to University. He kept most of my work when I graduated, to share with students (actually I think he kept all of it). I remember selling my first art piece to my high school Home Economics teacher. It was called Chocolate Milk: a color pencil drawing. A silhouette of a Holstein cow stood against a background of their black & white cow markings, however the white was chocolate brown. I remember her telling me she loved my work and that she knew one day my art would be world known."
Kristine didn’t go on to study art in University. During high school, she managed a flower shop and fell in love with the elegance of creating exquisite and beautiful floral arrangements. Once again she breathed inspiration into life. She continued to manage the flower shop after high school, with the intention of saving enough money to continue on to University and the pursuit of art studies.
Over time, and through the cultivation of relationships in her small town, Kristine moved on to decorating homes, then developing and managing hotels. Her sense of graceful and simple design continued to flow into her work, as did her entrepreneurial gifts and meticulous attention to detail. Kristine’s years of experience led her to the truly stunning Azuridge Estate Hotel in Priddis, south of Calgary, Alberta: the perfect canvas for Kristine’s abundant creativity, and the spark to reignite her passion for art.
"During my career at Azuridge, I began bringing in various local artists to showcase their work at the hotel. I felt envious of the ones who pursued their art careers full-time however that envy inspired me to join an art class. I remember the first piece I painted: a wild yellow orchid. Although there had been times over the years where I had painted or drawn, it was the first time I said to myself, I need to fulfill this desire. This childhood dream."
Art is the quintessential response to Walt Disney’s statement, bringing thought into form, dream into life. Let Kristine Andrea’s dream inspire and inform your life.
