Meet Christine Hogg | Artist and designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Hogg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, how do you think about risk?
Risk has a certain neutrality, and I’ve learned I can create risk-taking habits that are destructive despite the potential gains or habits that are aligned with my goals and that have compounding benefits despite the potential “losses.” Often now, the “losses” have provided valuable insights, motivations to pivot, and opportunities for acceptance – all sources for growth.

I consider “riskier” opportunities now due to the discipline and balance I’ve been able to develop in my personal life and profession and consider those opportunities still as healthier pursuits if they align with my values and goals. “Riskier” can sometimes simply feel like there’s a larger factor of the unknown. I’ve also become more resilient to rejection and able to receive feedback, shift energy into actionable next steps, and recognize what I’m willing to compromise in collaborative work and where to stand firm.

Taking risks overall has been a source of adventure and fulfillment for me, and I’ve learned to analyze and assess an opportunity more clearly and when it’s a good time to go for it. The majority of my “lessons learned” wouldn’t have happened had I not put myself in situations that had an element of unknown or challenge. In those same moments, I’ve seen the most beauty through the most perspectives. So, bottom line: go for it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an artist, designer, poet, curator, and facilitator. In my solo artwork, I share a moment of a story in each piece to offer a space for open dialogue. In collaborations, I often am trusted to visually interpret another person’s share. Visually, I have found a certain level of abstraction that allows me to accurately convey the most information as the creator for the viewers to most accurately interpret. In addition, I have utilized the space in gallery tags as an opportunity to include poems or short narratives as paired descriptions for each piece to expand the setting from where the moment of the story comes.

I’ve always had a strong sense of who I am and what guides me. However, the adventure has been witnessing in real time how I’ve arrived at each benchmark and accepting again that I won’t know exactly what’s going to happen and what situations I’ll need to respond to in order to get to the next phase.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I adore Downtown Fort Collins. There is so much vibrancy in our local creative sector, and it’s all so accessible to the public. We’d check out arts-centered establishments like Wolverine Farm, Bas Bleu, the Museum of Art Fort Collins, and the station at KRFC 88.9 FM on the Music District campus. We’d witness performances by local poets either at Wolverine Farm or The Neighbor, participate in dialogues led by exhibiting visual artists at the MoA, Petrichor Collective, or the Cornerstone Gallery, enjoy First Friday Art Walk, and create connections with local leaders at events like those hosted by Design Stories, FOCO VAC, or Dr. Cori Wong.

There are so many Fort Collins or Colorado-based small businesses to support downtown, so we’d spend most of our time there. If my friend wanted to take it easy, we could people-watch from the window of Mary’s Mountain Cookies or find our nook in Ku Cha House of Tea or Equinox Center of Herbal Studies.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
These past few years, I’ve had numerous meaningful conversations and some cherished ongoing dialogues with fellow creative leaders in Fort Collins, Northern Colorado, and Southern Wyoming. Each individual has shared with me what they’ve witnessed in our arts community: which arts-centered initiatives have been pushed, which have dissolved, what resistance each faced between the local sectors and general public, what challenges emerging and established artists have experienced, and what hopes and excitement remain to cultivate a diverse creative community and to adjust communications that reflect it accurately to those worldwide. This group of individuals has helped me stay motivated in my efforts while a resident in Fort Collins.

I also have to give a shout-out to my family. My parents were my first patrons, and it’s been special to witness together many of these next steps and dreams manifested. In addition, my husband has been by my side and supportive in our transition back to our creative pathways, ensuring our health and home are as strong as they can be while we embark on many of these adventures together.

Website: https://www.christinehogg.design

Instagram: @christine.f.hogg

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-f-hogg