Austin, TX

“The relationship between the artist and their canvas is one of give and take. It is fluid. It requires the artist to be open to energy and a consciousness beyond themselves.” Chris Van Loan Sr. feels that this quote by author and artist Dr. Carl B. Gacono accurately describes his creative process. Chris feels driven by a need to bring something unique into being that did not exist before.

Chris was introduced to art when he was serving in the US Army, stationed at Fort Hood. On his weekends off, he visited Auston where he became enthralled in the rich art and musical culture. Chris hopes that being an ArtLifting artist will inspire other veterans to create and enjoy art. 

Chris is now a tech writer by day and in his free time, he pursues his creativity. His approach starts with a blank canvas, paint and paint tools (brushes, scrapers, palette knives, spatulas, and basically any object that he find that helps him create). He usually pours paint on to the canvas and then starts painting as inspiration moves him. Being a musician (singer/guitarist) influences Chris’ art as he sometimes paints guitars that contain elements of abstraction. Chris has also studied Reiki and Tai Chi, so the concept of movement and energy flow from those practices often come into play. Creativity defines his family as well, as his wife and children also share in his love for music, the spoken word, and general expression. 

Chris feels that being an ArtLifting artist moves him closer to his goal of becoming a full-time artist. He keeps the following quote by Rumi on the wall of his home studio, “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy." Aside from ArtLifting, Chris runs a group on Facebook for Black artists to share their work and support each other. He comments that Black artists are not often known for their expressionist / abstract work, but are usually thought of as portrait painters. This online network unites artists who are often underrepresented in the art world, in an effort to build visibility, support, and community.