With her brand, VAN CHRISTA, Christa Stoop creates abstract, architectonic compositions in different media, such as 3D-print, screen print, fine art print, and occassionally acrylic too. Her work explores geometric shapes and colours inspired by modern architecture, art, and design.
After working as an advisor on European and Cultural affairs at offices in Utrecht and Brussels for years, Christa decided to follow her passion and create things by hand. “To create art gives me a such a joy,” says the printmaker. She is a self-taught artist, but also gained knowledge via courses in screen printing and Photoshop. Christa also has a degree in Law and studied Art History and Interior Design as well. Besides being an artist, she works in a small sustainable clothing shop.
Inspiration for her works comes from a variety of sources, including modern art, design, and architecture. She is fascinated by colours; “How they interact, what they evoke, warm and cool etc”. Magazines also provide her with inspiration, as she explains; “Now it is impossible for me to read a magazine or newspaper without scanning for colours. I even have my family involved and they collect all sorts of magazines for me!”
Christa’s love for geometric shapes and lines originated in the Dutch Polder landscape which she grew up in. She is influenced by Dutch artists like Piet Mondriaan, Gerrit Rietveld, and Jan Schoonhoven. “There is something about lines and shapes and the space around it. I just love it,” comments the artist.
Her broad range of interests is reflected in her art and the techniques Christa uses. Usually, she starts making collages cut and pasted from old paper magazines, after which she decides what technique to turn the prototypes to. She uses Photoshop to create digital images of her paper collages. “It’s always a challenge to get the right colour, but I have all types of different colour swatches that help,” says Christa. She then works together with a fine art print / screen print studio to print her work.
In her work Christa likes to play with self-chosen restrictions; “That gives me support, otherwise there are just too many options. My background in law maybe has something to do with that!” She plays with a repetition of different colours and lines in the series she creates, thus, her art has a modular vibe. Christa’s prints also tend to be fairly small in scale, however she has also experimented with a larger size for a project on billboards in Antwerp.
This year Christa hopes to dive into the world of monoprint and Riso print techniques, as well as experiment with ideas she has for a textile wall piece. She is also keen to move from her home studio to a shared space together with other artists. Keep your eyes peeled for lots more from the artist this year!
@christa_stoop
www.christastoop.com
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