Chris Arnold
Year of birth: 1977
Where do you live: Chicago, IL, USA
Your education: MFA, Savannah College of Art & Design; BFA, University of Missouri, Columbia
Describe your art in three words: Expressive, Immersive, Vibrant
Your discipline: Painting & Drawing
Website | Instagram
Your work often incorporates vibrant depictions of nature. What inspires you to explore environmental themes in your art, and how do you approach translating those themes onto canvas?
I love so many things this world has to offer, and the process of exploring environmental themes in my art feels limitless. I think this is why I choose to paint what I do today. My goal in bringing vibrant depictions of nature to the canvas is to connect the colors of paint to the colors of life. The job of the painter is to visually translate, and for me, that means telling the stories of our natural world in ways that allow others to experience and connect with it. Through expressive compositions, I not only aim to capture the beauty of nature but also its energy, fragility, and resilience. By blending structured planning with improvisation, I allow the environment itself to shape my artwork, ensuring that each piece carries an authentic reflection of the world I love to explore.
Can you tell us about a project that had a particularly significant impact on your artistic journey? How did your experience with the Ron Finley Project or the US National Park Service influence your perspective on conservation through art?
When it comes to the project that has had the most significant impact on my artistic journey, I would say it is always “the next one.” I have been fortunate to collaborate with incredible people, including Ron Finley, Scientists, Philanthropists and the National Park Service. These experiences have deepened my understanding of conservation and the role art can play in inspiring action.
Working with the Ron Finley Project reinforced my belief that art can be a tool for change, using vibrant imagery to highlight the intersection of nature, food, and community. Similarly, my collaborations with the National Park Service have strengthened my connection to the landscapes that inspire my work, reminding me that conservation is both a personal and collective effort. However, it is the people and places I have yet to encounter that keep me moving forward. The drive to explore, translate my experiences visually, and support natural causes through my craft fuels my creative practice. Each new project is an opportunity to learn, engage, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue between art and the environment.
Chris Arnold | Genesis Garden | 2025Your style blends bold, expressive forms with intricate natural elements. How do you balance the playfulness of your compositions with the deep environmental messages you aim to convey?
I balance playfulness and environmental messaging by blending spontaneity with intention. Bold colors and dynamic shapes invite viewers in, while deeper themes such as ecosystem fragility, botanical beauty, and the resilience of nature create space for reflection. My work is a conversation between the visual and the conceptual, where engaging compositions spark curiosity and encourage a personal connection to nature. I also hide Easter Eggs throughout my pieces, subtle details that add layers of meaning, from natural symbols to environmental references. By weaving these elements together, I create work that is both inviting and thought provoking, making complex themes feel accessible and deeply resonant.
You’ve mentioned that cartoonists, Impressionists, and Art Nouveau artists have influenced your work. How do you blend these distinct artistic movements with your focus on nature?
Each of these artistic movements, including cartooning, Impressionism, and Art Nouveau, serves as an essential ingredient in my creative process, much like elements in a recipe. The balance of these influences shifts from piece to piece, depending on the visual outcome I am searching for. Impressionism and Art Nouveau have a strong connection to nature, particularly in their use of botanical forms, which aligns perfectly with my own focus on the natural world. Impressionist techniques influence the way I capture light, atmosphere, and movement, while the organic and flowing lines of Art Nouveau resonate with my approach to composition. Both movements allow me to explore nature in a way that feels immersive and expressive rather than strictly representational.
The influence of cartooning is most evident in my linework and the underlying narrative structure. Even in my more abstract or expressive pieces, there is often a thread of storytelling and a visual rhythm that guides the viewer through the composition. The clarity of line, inspired by cartooning, helps define forms and create contrast within the more fluid and painterly elements influenced by Impressionism and Art Nouveau. Blending these styles allows me to create a unique visual language where nature is not just a subject but an active and dynamic presence shaped by the interplay of color, line, and storytelling.
Chris Arnold | Midnightin the Moonlight Garden | 2023As an educator in the field of illustration, how do you encourage your students to incorporate environmental consciousness into their creative practices?
As a Professor of Illustration, I encourage my students to integrate environmental consciousness into their creative practices by emphasizing the power of visual storytelling. I challenge them to think critically about their materials, the messages they convey, and the broader impact their work can have. Through research-based projects, including a collaboration with the Creative Action Network, students explore environmental themes that resonate with them. Whether it’s conservation, climate change, or sustainable design, my objective is to help them see illustration as a tool for advocacy.
What role do you believe art can play in fostering a deeper connection between people and the natural world?
Art serves as a powerful bridge between people and the natural world, fostering a deeper connection through emotion, storytelling, and immersive visual experiences. Unlike scientific data or written advocacy, art communicates in a way that is immediate and visceral, allowing viewers to feel rather than just understand the importance of nature. Whether through the delicate balance of color and form in a botanical composition, the expressive movement of a landscape, or a narrative-driven piece that explores environmental themes, art translates complex ecological ideas into something personal and accessible. By capturing the beauty, complexity, and fragility of nature, art can inspire appreciation, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility toward the environment. When viewers see a richly textured painting of an ancient forest, an illustration depicting the interconnectedness of ecosystems, or even a surreal composition that imagines nature’s resilience in the face of climate change, they are invited into a dialogue that transcends words and statistics.
Chris Arnold | Paradis | 2024Nature seems to play a central role in your art. How do you personally connect with nature, and how does that connection influence your creative process?
My connection with nature is both personal and essential to my creative process. Whether hiking through the backcountry of a national park, running at the dog park with my Vizsla, Scarlet, or painting in the solitude of my own garden, I find inspiration by immersing myself in natural settings. These experiences allow me to engage directly with the colors, textures, and rhythms of the natural world. Instead of simply depicting nature, I strive to capture the experience of being within it. My compositions reflect both its beauty and unpredictability, creating a sense of immersion that invites deeper engagement.
This connection to nature shapes my creative process by balancing structured planning with improvisation. While I often map out my work as an illustrator and designer, my studio paintings evolve in a more organic way, influenced by the spontaneity of my environment. Elements like shifting weather, changing temperatures, or even a bug landing in the paint become part of the final piece, reinforcing the idea that nature is not just a subject but an active force within my art. By embracing this interaction between control and chance, I create work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant, encouraging viewers to connect with nature as something to experience rather than just observe.
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