Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina D Yielding.
Christina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have mainly been known as a garage artist for the previous 15 years of my life,until I turned my hobby into a career which was about 6 1/2 years ago when I went to San Antonio for the summer to help my aunt and uncle with their land.
My only requirement was that they set up a tent so I could paint. One day, while I was on my way to Home Depot to get materials, “mind you, you have to drive 10miles in each direction to get anywhere in Bourne.”
I noticed a man and a woman on the side of the road selling fruit. I thought to myself, why can’t I do that with my art.
So I went back to the house loaded up my truck with my paintings, tarp, paint, and a blank canvas.
I pulled over about 10 miles past them and decided to set all of my art up on the side of my truck, lay my tarp on the ground and start painting…
It only took about 10minutes before people started to pull over, the next thing I knew I had 15 to 20 people standing around watching me. I started selling my art literally on the side of the road !! This is where the inspiration I receive , from people watching me paint!
At that moment I decided that when I got back to Dallas, I would enter into an art show and ask if I could paint live.
I did just that and have been doing that every since!
I entered into every show that was in Dallas from Pancakes and Booze to Chocolate and Art and any other art event welcoming artists.
Along the way, I discovered multiple charities in desperate need of art donations to help raise money for all sorts of reasons.
I do believe in God ! I do believe everything happens for a reason. I also believe, I am where I’m supposed to be at every moment, so when I meet someone I believe and know I met them for a reason.
This is what led me to start donating. I cannot even name or list all the charities that I have donated to. I have definitely given away more artwork, than I have sold.
I look at this from two perspectives:
- My artwork was not permanently in any gallery, therefore no one represents me, except for me.
- If I wanted to get my name out there I knew I had to donate . I only donated to the charities that I fully believed in and still do to this very day.
*WAD 365 Impulse Group
*Guys and Dolls
*Rainbow Roundup
*The Warren Center
*Hype Kids Nation
*Black Tie
*No Tie
*HRC Fairway to Equality
*Make a Wish Foundation
*Merritt Academy
I know that most artists get discovered from being in galleries and having someone represent them.
This is where my real work is double because I’m doing it all , nobody speaks for me , I am the gallery , the agent , and the artist .
My art is different because I don’t just paint paintings and sell them. I actually perform, paint live, auction and donate them.
After three years of doing this, I decided to get my LLC, put a website together, get business cards, put my “painting live “into packages and made a brand of myself.
Now, I’m getting booked to perform and getting paid for it. However, this was not as easy as it sounds, let me tell you. I cannot count the number of times I had to load up my truck with all of my equipment, unload it at the show set it all up and perform. Then, break it all down load it all back up and bring it all back home and unload it without any profit. Extremely exhausting, thank god for my 3 very loyal friends “crew “
Tiffany Harger, Monica Estrada, and of course my #1
Sidekick , Installer , and teacher David Miller
I guess you don’t look at it as work when you’re doing what you love, but it is a lot of hard work.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t get here all by myself. I have a lot of people that love and support my dream.
I’m still building my business, but I can confidently say that I have gotten to a place of consistency in commission work and being booked for events.Thanks to my close friend and marketing representative Kristi Holman and my constant support from Jennifer Jenkins . I also am blessed with with close friends who believe in me and are always pushing me further Ashley Urban and Jordy Brewer .
The goal I set for myself ten years ago, I accomplished five years ago. The goal I set for myself five years ago, I accomplished a year ago. The goal’s that I have for the next five years I’m currently accomplishing.
The ultimate goal which is currently an amazing journey and will continue to be. Is to be known for my custom artwork. Thanks to my wife Terri Bush I have had the opportunity to give all my energy and effort to making this dream come to a reality.
I offer free consultations to have a more personal experience and absorb the energy from the space the art is being created for. I enjoy talking with the clients about their vision and collaborate to create a unique one-of-a-kind piece.
Because I paint on plywood; I build every single “canvas“ by hand.
I go to Home Depot, I get an 8×4 piece of plywood. I come home, measure, cut, frame, sand and apply primer. Then I finally get to paint it.
I’m able to do any size or shape and can cover any size space.
I’ve done paintings for hospitals, restaurants, offices and my favorite “homes.”
Everything I do is different. I have yet to create the same piece of work.
I believe I have a gift, so I can’t really take credit for what I do but I can take credit for being able to allow the energy to flow through me. That takes faith and confidence together that the energy will show up and it always does .
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth is not the word I would use, LOL.
Smooth as a garlic milkshake maybe ..
It is work… it’s hard work… but if you’re dedicated and ambitious enough and really want it, and you’re willing to do anything to get there.
I mean anything.
I’ve lost a lot of hours of sleep. I’ve been exhausted and still am almost after every show. It’s a constant responsibility to own your own business and make sure that you run it the way that you want it to be. It takes friends, good friends, tons of support and of course buyers, LOL.
But it doesn’t matter how hard it is to make it happen… making it happen is the payoff.
Nothing will ever compare to the feeling I get when I deliver a painting for installation and see the peoples faces and reactions.
That is worth all of it to me .That is where I get my ambition and my burning desire. Every time I deliver a painting, no matter how tired I am, I get that spark of energy and it starts all over.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Art By CDY – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My business is known for entertainment and custom artwork.
I’m known for my paint jeans and painting live and that took about five years to build the brand. I decided every time I was going to paint live, I was going to keep wearing my paint jeans and bandanna under my Fedora.
I knew I was trying to build a brand I wasn’t sure where it was going but I knew I was on my way to something consistency is the key.
I specialize in custom artwork, what makes me different from other artists is The time I put into the wood versus a canvas.
I build every single frame that I paint.
I use a table saw, my compressor nail gun and my sander.
I can honestly say I have built at least 900 paintings from scratch.
And yes, it takes longer to build the frames that it does to paint the painting!!
The painting is my gift so I don’t really have to think about anything when I do that.
When I build the frames, I have to be completely aware of what I’m doing and that’s where the work comes in, but I absolutely love it and I wouldn’t let anyone else build them for me.
I guess that’s why I sell my art with such confidence because I know the quality of the product because I built it myself.
I also engrave my signature into the wood with a dremel, most people don’t even know that because you can’t see it, but you can feel it.
It’s like Braille.
I decided when I started to sell them, that I should make sure you can always tell if it was an original by me or not when I pass away.
The engraved signature is to ensure that “ it’s an original “ by me when I pass away.
Which brings me to my next subject,
I’M HERE TO CHANGE THAT!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like best about Dallas is how much art is everywhere!!!
I’m also inspired by how many talented people live here, it’s amazing to me, it’s like a little New York City or the sister of Los Angeles…
Dallas is the home of a lot of major headquarters and oddly enough it’s full of people that are not even from here, LOL!
Honestly, the only thing that I don’t like about Dallas is the traffic.
Other than that, this is my hometown and I really don’t have any desire to live anywhere else.
Now, I do love to travel and I want my art to live everywhere, but me personally, Dallas is my home.
Pricing:
- My entertainment package is $500 to paint live, that includes set up, live painting demonstration, music, cleanup, and 1 donated piece of my work
- My paintings range from $500 to 6500 dollars
- My paint jeans Range from $50 ~$150
- Consultations are always free and encouraged
Contact Info:
- Website: Artbycdy.com
- Phone: 214-245-2998
- Email: Artbycdy@gmail.com
- Instagram: Artbycdy
- Facebook: ArtbyCDYDallas
Image Credit:
David Miller, Jennifer Jenkins, Ashley Urban, Tiffany Harger, Monica Estrada
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
