artist bio
Artist Bio
Trista was born in a northwest suburb of Chicago on February 7, 1984. She grew up in a house full of animals where she developed a loving connection with them. Surrounded by animals throughout life she knew she wanted to work in a field where she could continue to learn about their behavior and relationship with nature. In 2006 Trista graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences with a concentration in ecology, evolution and behavior. Once out of college she began her career with The Wildcat Sanctuary, a MN non-profit organization that rescues abused, neglected and mistreated big cats. Her work with animals has allowed her to capture the finest details and their personalities in her scratchboards.
Trista has been practicing a variety of art mediums since her childhood including: pencil, charcoal, pastel and acrylics. In 2004 she combined her two passions and began her journey as a wildlife artist. During this time her medium of choice was still acrylics. Always researching new concepts in art she came across the fine art of scratchboard in 2007. After completing her first board she immediately fell in love with the medium and has been working in it ever since. As a self taught scratchboard artist Trista is constantly trying to push the boundaries and perfect her talent.
Artist Statement
I enjoy inspiring others to have an increased value and appreciation for animals through my art. It is becoming ever more important to protect these incredible creatures and their surroundings before it is too late.
When using various animals as my subject, I will use photographs and information about their personality to give them emotion and life in an art form. My aim is to instill a connection with the viewer and the animal, tell them a story or remind them of a shared memory.
Scratchboard is the medium I use to portray the animals. It is white pressed clay beneath a thin coat of dry black Indian ink. Using sharp tools I remove the black ink exposing the white clay. Each and every line, dash and dot is done individually. This creates th
e texture and form needed to correctly depict the animals’ facial features and expressions.
Most people only see exotic animals from a distance whether at a zoo or in the wild. My art allows these individuals to feel the softness of an animal’s fur, see the wisdom in their eyes and be inspired from their beauty and grace.