www.citygirlstudios.com

Crystal, a native Californian, has been involved with art since she was a child, but her passion for painting whimsical acrylics blossomed when she moved to Florida in 2000. “When my husband took a job offer in Jacksonville, we moved there without knowing anyone – I got to know my four cats very well the first few months”. Naturally Crystal's subject matter tended to center on cats as she learned new techniques. Although the green or orange cats in her paintings do not mirror the natural colors of her own, each painting reflected some aspect of their personalities. “We have a cat that sticks her tongue out. Her silliness came out in one of my paintings and I hope that makes people smile.”

Crystal and her husband moved to Newnan Georgia during the Thanksgiving holiday of 2002. She continued painting and storing the completed paintings in her closet. A friend saw her work one day and encouraged her to join the Newnan – Coweta Art Association. Two weeks after joining the association, Crystal participated in her first art show on the square in downtown Newnan. “I was excited to meet people who enjoyed my work. All of my paintings to that point I created for myself. I never thought that anyone else would appreciate my cat paintings.”

Peppy and Pocket watching me at work.

With the help of her husband Steve, a quality engineer in Lagrange Georgia, Crystal started citygirlstudios.com in 2004. "It is amazing how much we have grown since then. Time is flying and I am having the time of my life."

The website and the art shows have allowed Crystal to meet people and to share ideas. “People would be excited about my use of color and my three dimensional layering style, but they would walk away because they weren't ‘cat people.' I started expanding by painting beach scenes on old windows, yard art with cute little sayings, and hanging canvas's of fire trucks, snakes and geckos. Now I have such a wide range of art that everyone can enjoy."

Since her first art show on the square in Newnan in 2004, Crystal has participated in twenty seven additional art shows. In 2005 she won first place for acrylics at the 2005 Newnan Spring Art Show. She also won first place for Arts and Crafts at the 2005 Columbus Riverfest Weekend in Columbus Georgia.

She is currently displaying her art work in the Newnan Public library. She was asked by the childrens director if she would be interested in decorating their new facility. She is also selling and displaying at the Papp Clinic in Newnan and Pegleg Pauly's Island Bar and Grill. In Febuary 2005 she was the featured artist of the month in "Lifestyles" magazine.

Crystal graduated from Dekalb Technical College in 1998 in the Advertising and Design program. She had her first child, Emma in August 2005.