I'm a multi-disciplinary visual artist with a background in art direction/ design, photography & painting, having gained my Graphic Design Degree at Central/St Martins School of Art.
In my personal creative journey, I enjoy finding distinctive ways to bring together these different worlds into a unique creative vision.
Monica Chrysostomou
@monica_chrys
hello@monicachrys.co.uk
@monica_chrys
hello@monicachrys.co.uk
3-mins interview with Monica
What one quote has most inspired your creativity?
The Photographer Chase Jarvis once said ‘The best camera to have, is the one with you’. This influential quote freed me from the idea that I had to carry around bulky cameras. It gave me permission to take photos with my camera phone and have a ‘camera’ with me every day when I’m out and about.
The Photographer Chase Jarvis once said ‘The best camera to have, is the one with you’. This influential quote freed me from the idea that I had to carry around bulky cameras. It gave me permission to take photos with my camera phone and have a ‘camera’ with me every day when I’m out and about.
What works are you most proud of?
My work has evolved since my solo show, Reframe:edit, in 2019. My photographic art practice is a true fusion of my love of photography, graphic design and painting and I especially enjoy developing and creating my photo-graphic montage fine art prints. Inspired by the 19th Century Pictorialists, I look to create rich and atmospheric imagery that is both compelling and ambiguous - is it a painting or photograph?
My work has evolved since my solo show, Reframe:edit, in 2019. My photographic art practice is a true fusion of my love of photography, graphic design and painting and I especially enjoy developing and creating my photo-graphic montage fine art prints. Inspired by the 19th Century Pictorialists, I look to create rich and atmospheric imagery that is both compelling and ambiguous - is it a painting or photograph?
My current artworks have a floral theme - 'Renaissance' (shown at Hybrid Gallery, Devon) and Fondant Fancies (created for the Maggie's Royal Free charity stand at the Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead).
What's your creative process?
Photography is part of my daily creative expression, and I use Instagram (@monica_chrys) as my visual sketchbook, personal diary and a valuable source of inspiration.
Photography is part of my daily creative expression, and I use Instagram (@monica_chrys) as my visual sketchbook, personal diary and a valuable source of inspiration.
My photo-graphic montages then slowly emerge through further intensive experimentation. It's a creative journey of problem solving - constantly engaging with the ideas that emerge and searching for a more exciting visual outcome. Often I’m surprised at the final results, especially when a completely new story emerges. The final step in the creative process is titling each image with its own identity and character.
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Do you also teach art?
Yes. My multi-disciplinary background feeds into my creative teaching and vice versa. In my adult painting & drawing classes I use these experiences to help my students to develop their own creative journeys. I teach the essential foundation blocks of colour mixing, tone, composition, scale, story telling, etc; and I encourage curiosity and experimentation so that students gain the confidence to explore and re-imagine new and exciting visual outcomes.
Yes. My multi-disciplinary background feeds into my creative teaching and vice versa. In my adult painting & drawing classes I use these experiences to help my students to develop their own creative journeys. I teach the essential foundation blocks of colour mixing, tone, composition, scale, story telling, etc; and I encourage curiosity and experimentation so that students gain the confidence to explore and re-imagine new and exciting visual outcomes.
I've taught painting and drawing classes & courses at the Islington Arts Factory, the Art Stables (Finchley) and Lift (Islington); and life drawing at the Cockpit Arts (Holborn).
Since 2020, I've transitioned to live Zoom art classes so that people from all locations can start or continue their creative journeys from home.