ABOUT

Born and raised in South Africa, Urban Oil Painter Leanne M Christie earned her Bachelor of Fine Art from Rhodes University in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. What began as a two-week holiday after graduation evolved into a decade-long journey abroad, ultimately leading her to the Canadian West Coast in the late 2000s. Now based in Vancouver’s vibrant Chinatown neighborhood, she has maintained a full-time studio practice since 2009, dedicating herself to exploring the expressive potential of oil painting.

Leanne’s creative inspiration stems from her immersive engagement with the urban environment. When not accompanied and walking with her Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) puppy in training, her 25-kilometer cycling commute from her home in Coquitlam allows her to experience the city’s rhythms firsthand. These daily journeys provide her with an intimate kinship with the flow of urban streets and the unrehearsed, transitory moments that inspire her work.

For urban oil painter, Leanne M Christie, the brushwork in her pieces serves as a dialogue, connecting her with the viewer in a shared moment of recognition and reflection. To her, the viewer is not just an observer but the most integral part of the artistic experience.

Beyond her studio practice, Leanne is committed to fostering the creative community. She provides mentorship and constructive feedback to fellow artists, sharing her insights and encouraging the growth of emerging talent. Her generosity extends beyond mentorship; she frequently donates her artwork to charitable causes, using her creativity as a force for good.

As an urban oil painter, Leanne’s passion for the urban landscape stems from her intimate engagement with the city, its rhythms, and its transformations. Her works resonate with those who share her curiosity about how we form—and reform—our identities amid the urban sprawl. Through bold, dynamic brushwork and an acute attention to detail, she invites the viewer into an ongoing exploration of place, memory, and connection.

Leanne M Christie’s urban oil paintings are a tribute to the city and its stories, offering a moment to pause and contemplate the spaces that shape us. Her work stands as a testament to the enduring power of oil painting to evoke emotion, tell stories, and create dialogue.

‘Leanne M. Christie is a contemporary Vancouver landscape painter. Reductive and flirtatious brushwork entices the viewer to regard the familiar with a new vision. Christie’s treatment of everyday landscapes transform city streets and shipping containers into an ephemeral scene with a temporal essence, notated by her careful and suggestive brushwork. Christie’s hand suggests rather than commits to imagery, creating an illusory and seductive space to be drawn into again and again.’

– Van Dop Gallery –