Chriss Hardy was born and raised in Connecticut but has been based in Knoxville, TN since 1988. Her work is mostly in oils on canvas although she utilizes mixed media on occasion. She has won numerous awards in art shows and competitions including the Hartford Courant Gold Key Award and a scholarship to the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale from which she graduated with a degree in Advertising Design. Her work has been shown in galleries in Knoxville and Nashville, TN, Charleston, SC, and Tequesta, FL, and is owned by collectors throughout the United States.
 

"My goal in my work is to bring the viewer a feeling of past memories or simply to find joy in my use of color, shapes, and textures. I begin with a mix of found images, both personal and from other sources, and then focus on the characters and images that strike me. Using preliminary drawings, I edit (by eliminating or adding to) to suit my composition.
Recently my work is based on figurative subject matter that reflects a nostalgic feel such as children at play or a grouping of figures interacting. In general, I strive to keep a spontaneity in my work, whether through showing brush strokes or allowing the layers of paint to show through. I believe that too much reality in a painting will be a disappointment to the imagination. I hope you enjoy my thematic use of colors, the nostalgia behind my compositions, and the textures and layers I use to create each piece.