Christy Runyan

Christy Runyan, raised in the Midwest was surrounded by a wonderful family who introduced her to the arts including oil painting, wood-carving, antiques, primitive and folksy with an emphasis on folklore, and creative cooking. She graduated with a BFA from Pacific Lutheran University in 1974 where she studied ceramics, drawing and glass blowing. After a brief stay in Michigan where she had a glassblowing studio, she moved back to Portland in 1978. Ceramics has been her vocation over the past few years after she began working for Georgies Ceramic and Clay who had just purchased Richards Pug Mill. Christy put together a manufacturing facility overseeing the development and production of clay and glaze lines for Georgies creating a line that was suited to the Northwest.

Christy keeps connected with clay through the fun she has making and exhibiting ceramic sculptures while she continues the daily business routine at Georgies. She has always been facinated with angels and cherubs ….. and now fairies. She had several watercolor shows of “everyday angels” in 1998-1990 at the M.Coe Gallery in Portland. She melds the humorous with folk art in her work and prefers to present a cheerfull attitude and happy art.

Christy started making the “Garden Fairies” in this exhibit to put out in her garden to fill bare spots left by the seasons changing. She found plants would soon engulf the sculptures. She uses a special light blue glaze that glows in the dark garden spaces. Her garden theme includes many vegetables connected to the garden fairies and birds.