ABOUT THE ARTISTKris Hicks is a native Tucson, Arizonan who attended University in California at UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis, receiving a degree with honours in Art History. These locales developed a deep love of nature and interest in the lives people have built amidst it; looking like brief moments in time against the backdrop of the natural world. Kris’ interest in art and art history began early in childhood, with countless hours spent drawing and exploring art, as well as adoring children's book illustrators such as Richard Scarry and Margaret Wise Brown. Courses in humanities, photography and the arts piqued a keen interest in high school and University; however, Kris decided on elementary teaching as a profession.
Seeking to reignite her artistic passion, Kris took a break from teaching in 1999-2001, moving back to Arizona and taking courses in Graphic Design and Illustration which was infinitely creative and satisfying. This short stint had a great impact on Kris’s desire to become a professional artist and developed her skills in colour theory, colour rendering, colour mixing as well as graphic design and marketing. As life throws one curve balls and gifts, Kris returned to teaching when she met her husband and moved to London, Ontario where they are raising 2 amazing children. Kris has continued to learn and explore a variety of media in art independently while weaving as much of these subjects into teaching as possible over 20+ years. Kris developed and is selling a learn-to-read support kit, the Reading Rascals to assist parents and educators. In recent years, Kris has created many commissions for art and illustrations and shown/sold artwork at ArtWithPanache Gallery and Westland Gallery in London, Marten Arts in Bayfield, Ontario and rhubarb restaurant in Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia. Kris was in the juried show 'An Eye for Art' in Chatham in 2014 , 'Paint Ontario' in 2015 and Westland Gallery’s 'Square Foot Show' in 2016. Her artwork can be found in many private collections in Canada and the United States. |