Christine Munhall Spotlight
Christine Munhall
Written by Nor Osborne, August 2025
Christine Munhall loves to learn. Whether she’s studying the intricate structure of a flower she is painting or diving into a book on art history, she approaches it all with an excited curiosity. Learning, for Christine, isn’t about achieving perfection or accumulating facts; it’s about wonder. It’s about discovering how to create.
With roots in business and pharmaceutical sales, the Granville based painter didn’t originally set out to be an artist. But life- along with the freedom that came with staying home to raise her children- opened up the door to rediscover her creative spark.
Now, years later, her studio is filled not only with brushes and canvases, but with books and artistic experiments, proof of a mind always seeking to learn.
“I’ve always loved learning,” Christine shares, her voice lit with excitement. “Once I had the time, I just started diving into everything: mosaics, acrylics, watercolor, paper layering, oil painting. I’d spend hours reading art books, watching YouTube tutorials, and just playing with materials.”
A large portion of Christine’s self taught skills were built from painting homages to Impressionist classics.
“I've painted a lot of old masters, creating contemporary versions of older paintings. It’s like you’re speaking a new version of an old truth. And,” Christine adds, “It's a free art lesson. It's a great way to just kind of learn and spend time with the subject matter.”
Christine loves passing on what she learns. She frequently leads art activities and lessons for her children, not just as a creative outlet, but as a way to encourage observation, appreciation, and reflection.
“Art teaches you to slow down and see the details. To notice the veins of a leaf, the way light touches a branch. It’s meditative. It brings you closer to beauty, and to something greater than yourself.”
Through this exploration of art, Christine has developed a personal style of vibrant brushwork and bold color harmonies. Her own paintings shimmer with layered light and rich hues in symmetrical patterns.
Christine’s love of nature is at the heart of her work- trees, especially. Many of her favorite pieces are inspired by trees she’s encountered right here in Licking County.
“Licking County is such a beautiful place to be an artist. The rolling hills, all the nature, all the birds. There's so much inspiration here. I can just walk on the bike path and find inspiration,” Christine says. “There's something so captivating about the variety in nature, so many trees, so many leaves, so many flowers and the many colors, patterns, textures that appear in them all.”
“I think appreciating the beauty of nature has a spiritual component for me. I see everything coming from God, His creation, and the beauty of design. It is a neat thing to meditate.”
Christine reflects this spiritual connection in her paintings as well, creating many depictions of religious scenes and figures. She has even worked at The Museum of Catholic Art and History in Columbus, commissioned to paint a mural of Jacob’s Ladder alongside other artists.
Whether she’s working on a painting inspired by nature or reimagining a classic religious piece, she approaches each painting as a puzzle: drawing grids to break down forms, layering diluted oil paints, adjusting values and tones until each part feels balanced and alive.
“I think part of the beauty of art is that it’s never finished,” Christine reflects. “There’s always more to try, more to understand, more to feel. That’s what keeps me coming back.”
