Cansfield-Smith, Christine ( - )

Christine Cansfield-Smith trained as a graphic designer and worked as an art director and production manager in advertising agencies and art studios before obtaining her BA (Hons) at the University of Queensland. She completed her MA at the University of Virginia and a postgraduate diploma in publishing at Radcliffe College, Harvard University. In 2006 she received a Master of Management from the Australian National University.

Christine worked as the production manager for the Atlantic Monthly Press, New York. She returned to Australia in 1988 and was the head of science communication at the Australian Institute of Marine Science before establishing and being appointed Director of the CSIRO Discovery Centre, Canberra.

She moved to Beechworth, Victoria in 2011. Christine's grandmother and great grandmother were accomplished botanical artists. As a child she received some instruction in botanical art from her grandmother but had no formal training until she attended classes with Helen Fitzgerald. Christine established the Canberra Institute of Botanical Art and the Beechworth Institute of Botanical Art and managed these schools, as well as the 'Canberra Botanical' exhibition, for several years.

She has exhibited in 'Botanica' and in 'Canberra Botanical'. In 2013 she oversaw the production of the Florilegium of the Albury Botanic Gardens. Christine now teaches introductory courses in botanical art and has created the biennial 'Beechworth Botanica'. She is one of the founding members and President of the Mayday Hills Art Society which fosters all branches of the visual arts and provides opportunities for artists to advance their talents in northeast Victoria.

Source: Extracted from: 'Flora of Australia - A Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition', published by the Botanical Art Society of Australia, Canberra, May 2018
Portrait Photo: 2017, extracted from: Ovens and Murray Advertiser 5/4/2017 https://omadvertiser.com.au/2017/04/05/exhibition-grows-a-natural-style/