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Christina Zimpel’s (Australian, b.1961) paintings portray the intense feeling of being watched and the pressure to perform in society. Her characters share observed attitudes held by women connected through history. Using simplified reductive shapes and intense, non-realistic colors, she relies on small expressions and body language to differentiate the mood. Zimpel studied Graphic Design (BFA, Curtin University Perth Western Australia) and worked as an Art Director for the Australian and American Editions of Vogue, and a studio manager for her husbands photography business before discovering painting. She credits these experiences in shaping her strong sense of composition and color sense. Her formative years growing up in Western Australia are also a major inspiration with its flat horizons and clear skies, along with her feelings of alienation and rebellion.
“I’m interested in maximum character through minimum gesture, and to feel something real in my work.”