Chris Van Loan, Sr.
"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. felt that this quote by author and artist Dr. Carl B. Gacono accurately described his creative process. Chris felt driven by a need to bring something unique into being that did not exist before.
Chris (he/him/his) was introduced to art when he was serving in the US Army, stationed at Fort Hood. On his weekends off, he visited Austin where he became enthralled in the rich art and musical culture. Chris hoped that being an ArtLifting artist would inspire other veterans to create and enjoy art. Chris has since passed away, and his work lives on as part of his legacy.
Chris was a tech writer by day, and in his free time, he pursued his creativity. His approach started with a blank canvas, paint and paint tools (brushes, scrapers, palette knives, spatulas, and basically any object that he found that helped him create). He usually poured paint onto the canvas and then started painting as inspiration moved him. Being a musician (singer/guitarist) influenced Chris' art, as he sometimes painted guitars that contained elements of abstraction. Chris had also studied Reiki and Tai Chi, so the concept of movement and energy flow from those practices often came into play. Creativity defined his family as well, as his wife and children also shared in his love for music, the spoken word, and general expression.
Chris felt that being an ArtLifting artist moved him closer to his goal of becoming a full-time artist. He kept 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 ran a group on Facebook for Black artists to share their work and support each other. He commented that Black artists are not often known for their expressionist/abstract work, but are usually thought of as portrait painters. This online network united artists who are often underrepresented in the art world, in an effort to build visibility, support, and community.
