Maple Grove Artist Gets Creative During Recession

Ever since Christina Hankins was a child, she has loved art. The allure of drawing, painting and sculpting became her creative outlet, and at 41 years old she is still doing what she loves.

“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t an artist,” the Maple Grove mother of four said. “I love all kinds of art and I like to cross over to different mediums to keep from falling into a rut, that’s what keeps me fresh.”

While finding inspiration can be tough for any artist, an ever bigger challenge hit when the economy took a turn several years ago. Hankins’ big sellers were her oil paintings, but the recession dried up some of her business.

“Painting sales dropped off, so I needed to find another outlet and so I started creating handbags."

Hankins wasn't the only artist feeling the pain during the recession. In 2009, the New York Times reported on the results of a survey of American artists, of which "slightly more than half experienced a drop in income from 2008 to 2009" due to the recession.

Armed with a painting background and basic sewing skills, Hankins set out to create one-of-a-kind purses. “I’ve used recycled pieces of fabrics from sweaters, I have painted leather, I’ve used all sorts of funky pieces to really make each purse unique.” 

While she admits she didn’t know how to construct a purse, she says the process just came to her. Now, she’s spends 8-18 hours creating each purse.

“I’m a visual person and I think in 3D so once I started moving fabrics around and working with my hands, the purses really took shape.”

She’s rolled out her new handbags at several art shows, including a recent show in Chicago. 

Hankins still paints, and says she is most proud of a painting she created in 2006 called Coffee Break. “It’s a picture of a woman in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and dishes and everything has piled up around her and she just needs a break, even it's just a five minute coffee break.”

It’s that kind of creativity Hankins brings to the Maple Grove Arts Center, where Hankins puts another one of talents to good use: teaching.

“She is just an awesome artist and such a positive person, she is the perfect person to teach art classes,” Lorrie Link, with the said. “She has a great connection with children and adults, and I think she really inspires them.”

“I just love sharing my love of art with others,” Hankins said. “To watch someone else get joy from painting or drawing is great to watch.”

For more information about the Maple Grove Arts Center or Christina Hankins’ work, check out their websites.