Christine Cansfield-Smith

Christine was born in Brisbane in 1954 but lived as a child in Lae, Papua New Guniea. She trained as a graphic designer and worked as an art director and production manager in advertising agencies and art studios in Brisbane before studying for an Arts (Honours) degree with the University of Queensland. She then moved to the United States where she completed her Master of Arts in American political history and documentary editing at the University of Virginia and also publishing at Radcliffe College, Harvard. She completed an MBA with the Australian National University, Canberra in 2009.

 

Christine was the Production Manager for the Atlantic Monthly Press, New York before moving  to Townsville, Australia to work as head of science communications at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The highlight of her career was establishing and then, as Director, running the CSIRO Discovery centre in Canberra; a public centre that interprets science research for visitors through a major exhibition, science education classes and special events. Christine left CSIRO in April 2011 to move to Beechworth. 

 

She is a botanical artist and teacher and occupied her time with the establishment of the Beechworth Institute of Botanical Art (BIBA) and Canberra Institute of Botanical Art (CIBA) which ran for many years to offer weekend art workshops in both regions. Christine was integral in establishing the Mayday Hills Art Society, of which she is the current President.