"Artists usually have to do a variety of art to survive.  The important factor is to complete projects on time and to adhere to quality in everything you tackle."

Lopez Island Artist Christa Malay has been a professional artist since graduating from a three year art program at Spokane Community College in 1981.  Not adverse to tackling any kind of artistic endeavor to support herself and her three children, she did graphic design, illustrations, advertising art, t-shirt designs, cartoons, portraits of children and animals and taught watercolor painting classes.  

After moving to Lopez Island in 1987 with her artist partner Corwin Martin and building a studio-home, Christa began to create and print limited edition serigraphs.  She has since produced more than 130 editions and has received numerous commissions to design and print posters for resorts, festivals and special interest groups.  Her unique style of printing with transparent oil paints is known throughout the Northwest.

 "To be an artistic entrepreneur you have to posses an adventurous spirit , persistence, the willingness to work hard and a sense of humor!"   

Since 1993 Christa has added painting with soft pastels to her repertoire.  Her large colorful landscapes of the islands are popular and have resulted in many commissions and gallery shows.  In 1998 Christa was introduced to etching on zinc plates and she has now produced a series of landscape images based on her pastel paintings.