Christine Riutzel

I’ve lived in the Ozarks for over 20 years. I doodled horses when I was a kid but didn’t get serious about art until I met my high school art teacher. She changed my life. But after high school I quit creating. I had dealt with a lot of abuse, trauma, and depression. Once I had done a lot of healing I started creating consistently again. Unfortunately I couldn't afford art school so I taught myself with Youtube and cheap online courses. I've had several fine art exhibitions and thought that gallery life was the only way I could make it. However, I stumbled across mural work and fell in love. My first and most well-known mural is a 300ft long mural at Skateworld in Branson, Missouri. I'm on the board for Parks and Recreation in Hollister, Missouri. Through them I have worked to create murals in parks and on on Historic Downing street. I also serve on the board of the Southern Missouri Arts Connection (SMAC). Through SMAC I plan on changing my hometown into something more than a tourist destination. To create Public art with other creators to make a community that is well respected and thrives. I hope to show businesses that you can use art as “indirect marketing” to get people into your business without a flashy and costly billboard.