The Esthetician

Christina Fitzgerald graduated in 2002 with degrees in Fine Art and English. During her two years at Hendrix, she took as many Art History courses as possible and says classes with Dr. Rod Miller were her favorite, “hands down.” She also took photographs for the yearbook and travelled to New York to experience its art scene. After graduation, she earned a Master’s Degree in Esthetics and now works as a Medical Esthetician at Shewmake Plastic Surgery and The Skin Retreat in Little Rock. Fitzgerald’s paintings are carried by Gallery 26, and she creates clothing and jewelry in her spare time.

Drawing on her work as a Medical Esthetician, Fitzgerald creates portraits which emphasize the subject’s skin and facial features. She finds particular interest in textured and otherwise contrasting skin surfaces, whether a contour of the face or the scarring and pigmentation across it. Her loose and expressionistic style, rapid brushstrokes, and bold colors create a heightened sense of emotion in each portrait, which allows her to explore the tension between what is perfect and imperfect.

While she originally painted on glass to avoid paying for canvases, she now appreciates the sleekness of glass and its ability to hold layers of texture. She also paints across the glass’s frame, thus incorporating it into the artwork. These two stylistic choices – unique but practical – are enduring hallmarks of Fitzgerald’s work.