Christopher Mark Galiyas

My work lives where the city life collides with nature, the colorful outdoors, and pop culture of the past & present. I paint each piece as an open story, giving the viewer the setting, mood, and tension without revealing the plot. The narrative belongs to the viewer, which is intentional, making it personal to each individual looking at the canvas. I want people to establish their own meaning to what is given.

I work with house paint & acrylics, spray paint, colored pencils, ink and anything else that can make a mark on a surface. Layering drives the process. I will put down a mark and let it dry for days before the next application, letting the piece earn each stage. I usually start with a small idea, then let it evolve/blossom on its own, taking turn after turn until it lands where it is supposed to be. I try not to over think it while my hands do the work. Teaching grades K-3 taught me to be true & pure when creating my pieces. Kids make art with honestly and without self-editing, and I chase the same true energy in my studio as I work.

I constantly push myself to try new things along the way and to stay open to happy accidents because that is where real discoveries happen, nothing has to be perfect, it just has to speak to someone and stand on its own in a room or on a wall. I want each piece to feel like an amazing conversation that continues to speak to you as you walk away, with marks and strokes that reveal themselves slowly over time. The textures, the colors, and the buried layers are meant to reward a second or a third look. I make work that is meant to be memorable and one-of-a-kind so the viewer keeps coming back, finding new details they missed on the viewing before. If my work can hold your attention, spark a memory, or shift someone’s mood for a second, then I believe it has done its job.

Photo courtesy of the artist