Christie was a UK born artist who lived in Zimbabwe and spent her adult artistic years in Cape Town.

 

As drawing was her true passion she drew obsessively from the world that surrounded her - scenes from the train, passers-by, pompous speech makers on the street, musicians, workmen, animals and construction sites.

 

Because of her fascination with static and living things she always found it difficult to choose what to draw first, so she taught herself to draw as fast as possible that the scene and its subjects can be captured in one sketch. Christie was also the co-organizer of the life-drawing group at the IZIKO National Gallery.

 

One of the key themes addressed in her work was the drawing of oil rigs, she found the power and dynamism of these giant machines compelling. She would physically climb onto the rig to go sketch the day, it is this in situ, working from busy, gritty and real-life scenes and situations that created an awe-inspiring emotion and mystery in the artist herself and is evident in her work when one engages with a piece.

 

Christie preferred her media to be fast and mobile thus the use of an electric mix of charcoal, Chinese ink-stick, watercolour, marker pen, soluble crayon and acrylic paint on paper.