She has been referred to as the "lady who lives inside a painting" by her fans and "one who lives her art" by fellow artists. Christi Klema and her home are all that and they both represent a tremendous celebration of life.
Christi Klema was a Dallas artist who art was well received in the Dallas area and Texas as a whole. Her canvases were described as "post French impressionistic" but her most famous painting was her home in Lake Dallas, Texas. It is best described as joyful.
Due to health issues the carpeting in her two thousand square foot home had to go leaving behind what Christi saw as a huge canvass itself. She painted one very large landscape whose features changed with each room on the floor. Not satisfied this painting often extended up the walls and onto parts of the ceilings.
Once an artist who painted for fourteen hours a day her health now restricts her to one hour daily. She paints now in, (and on), her home in Marysville, Washington and has been doing so for the last eight years.
She uses every type of paint imaginable supplemented with thousands of pieces of wall paper samples, photos, bits of cloth and artist papers. Her style varies from the Italian paper art all the way to a new form of folk art. Her canvasses remain her floors and walls.
The best way to actually describe her art now might be to call it a celebration. It is certainly that and the feeling most get while viewing it. It is her triumph over ill health and a demonstration of joyfulness.
Her focus has always been to bring the outside world inside the home. Thus flowers, butterflies, gardens and landscapes grace the floor in great room. The period of time starts with Greek mythology, through Victorian and to modern. The walls are richly textured by bits of paper, photos, cloth, and countless tubes of paint.
She also created a unique exterior landscaping through a series of sketches which her husband then built. Included are several outdoor rooms and gazeboes with views of flowering gardens, water falls and coi ponds. The walks in the front of the home are all hand poured colored stepping stones whose colors are uniquely balanced by the watchful eye of the artist.
Born in Hawaii and growing up as "surfer girl" in Southern California, (where she studied art), Christi longs to return to the warm beaches. Her latest art, her home, is now for sale by the artist.
For an "Virtual Tour" of this incredible home, Please Click VIRTUAL TOUR.
