The Art of Christine Granger

Toronto Premiere Exhibit at KUMF Gallery, December 6, 2009 at 3pm.

Living in a large and growing metropolitan city such as Toronto, with the stresses that come with the fast pace of life, it is a rare and treasured gift to be able to take yourself out of the everyday, to appreciate the joy of artistic expression and even get in touch with your own spirituality. 

Christine Granger’s icons, which will be exhibited beginning on December 6^th at KUMF Gallery in Toronto, capture a certain universal serenity found in the Mother and Child relationship that can evoke a sense of calm and tranquility in even the most skeptical viewer.

Irene Chumak, who organized this upcoming exhibit, in an interview stated “I am very happy to work on this project. The icons are so beautiful. To see them is a very spiritual experience and a gift for all of us at Christmas. We are very lucky to have this exhibit of more than 75 icons in Toronto.”

Born in Lviv, Ukraine, Christine and her family immigrated to Canada in her early childhood. She grew up in West Toronto, where she attended local schools. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and later at the University of Ottawa, where she received her Master’s Degree in English. Much of Christine’s professional life was as an art consultant, an art teacher and a professor of English. Currently, she and her husband, a retired Associate Dean of Law, reside on a farm near Brennan’s Hill just north of Wakefield, along the Gatineau River in Quebec.

Christine has been painting icons since 1980. She devotes herself to her art by painting original icons that capture a joyful divinity. In an interview, she stated that: “my starting point is the Ukrainian and Byzantine Icon tradition, and my reaffirmation of the mystery of the Incarnation.” She uses a variety of media, including wax and egg tempera as well as acrylic, in particular gold, in a layering technique to build up textures, patterns and borders. In addition to golds, she also makes use of reds, oranges, and yellows. These are the colours usually associated with fire, light and the divine.

Paul Gessell, Senior Art Critic at The Ottawa Citizen newspaper, characterized Granger’s work as “reminiscent of work by Matisse, the French Master, who himself had a passion for religious icon paintings.”

“The Virgin Mary, as depicted by Granger, is amazingly warm and gentle. In most of the paintings, Mary is both hugging and being hugged by the Baby Jesus. The figures are serene, content and exceedingly joyful,” stated Gessell.

Christine’s art was published in two books with inspirational readings as well as in various magazines and newspapers. In addition, her icons are found in many public and private collections. The Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, the Archbishop of Ottawa and the Chapel at La Pieta house her icons. She has had numerous exhibits, including the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada, St. Paul’s University, the University of Dayton as well as Mackenzie Marcotte Gallery. CTV has produced a short documentary on her art.

When asked why she paints icons, Christine replied that: “If I had a good voice, I would sing in a gospel choir. Instead, I work in colour, bringing new techniques and ideas to a tradition as old as Christendom.”

A Toronto Premiere, the exhibit of Christine Granger’s art opens on Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 3pm. and continues until December 20, 2009. at KUMF Gallery, 2118 A Bloor St. West. The exhibit is under the patronage of the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada. Major corporate sponsors include Buduchnist Credit Union and Knights of Columbus, Sheptytsky Council. The exhibit is both a visual and spiritual experience and is well worth visiting. For further information, please call KUMF at (416) 766-6802.