Bio:

Hello! I'm Charina. It's nice to meet you.
I’m an artist, painter and illustrator based in Boulder Creek, California. I live in a town where the main street includes two market stores, an art gallery and a handful of curio shops. My home studio is nestled in the forest where I’m inspired by local flora and fauna, sacred stories, and the cosmos.

When I was a child, I got into a LOT of trouble for painting a mural on our living room wall. It was an epic story about a girl who lived in the forest. (Sorry Mom & Dad)! The school librarian found an outlet for my creative energy and encouraged me to write and illustrate a book to be “published”. It was titled “The Princess of Saturn.” In high school, my school counselor gave me a key to the ceramics studio where I spent many lunch hours creating vases, pots and vessels.

I’ve been an artist all my life. I went on to pursue my passion and earned my BFA in Fashion Design at CCA(C) in San Francisco.

Shortly after college, I founded Blithe Design, a women’s contemporary label which sold in shops across North America including Fred Segal and Planet Blue.

In 2008 I craved a change in pace. I closed my fashion business and delved into yoga studies. I went on to travel and teach yoga classes, lead yoga retreats and women's circles to hundreds of students around the world.

After the birth of my third daughter in 2017, my passion for making and painting revived and I returned to the easel. Since then I’ve gone on to study as much as I can about painting and illustration. I consider myself a life long learner.

These days I paint in watercolor and enjoy playing with mixed media and digital paint. My portfolio continues to evolve and I update this site on a regular basis to show my most recent work.

I love to tell stories through visual art, conveying the range of emotions and the moments in between. My work is influenced by my background in fashion, yoga and years of traveling around the world.

When I’m not in the studio, I love to spend spacious moments with my family exploring the forest, playing on the coastline, rock climbing and baking fresh baked bread on Sunday mornings.

If you're interested in learning more about my portfolio or would like to work with me, I’m happy to answer any of your questions. I’m only an email away. :)