The only time that I've allowed a piece to leave when it wasn't complete, (laughs) to me, is when I posted something as an in-progress shot, and somebody wanted to buy it.

And so I've been like, well, it's not done.

And they're like, no, it's perfect.

(laughs) I am Christina Deubel.

Im a finger painter fine artist from Spokane, Washington.

I'm primarily known for my wildlife and animals, and I use really vibrant colors and bold shapes to convey emotion.

So I painted with brushes for ten years, and... one day I had a big six foot canvas.

And I had my son at the time was eight.

And, wanted him to be included in the process.

So we just got our hands dirty and covered that canvas in color.

And that became my very first, uh, finger painted painting.

And I still went back to my brushes.

So it was probably maybe another six years And then once I revisited it, it was just... this is it.

I found my voice.

My artwork instantly got better, instantly felt like there was no barrier between me and what I was creating.

And I haven't looked back.

(laughs) I primarily actually use one finger, which is this one.

Um.

Obviously can't get a fine line with my fingertip.

And some people have asked, do you do it with your fingernail or something?

And I don't.

I will make a bigger line and then come in on top of that to kind of erase part of the bigger smooch that I've already made.

So... something big like the background for this big six foot piece I'm using both hands and really getting in there.

But when I'm doing detail work, it's just one finger and it's the same finger every time.

One of my favorite things about finger painting is I can almost dance with my canvas and it's my whole body and I'm moving around and, I think when I used to use traditional tools, I was more focused on, what the image was.

So I tried to tell the story with the image, and now I'm able to tell the story with the colors.

So, I choose my colors purely on my emotions that day.

So you can kind of see where I'm at the moment that I paint based off of my palette that moment.

And so it's a totally different mindset for me.

I'm able to really release.

I don't have to think it becomes almost like meditation for me to release pieces.

So, I used to have a gallery in the Perry District and I have a lot of artists come in that didn't want to really let go of their pieces.

And I've never really felt that way.

And I think it is because these are like emotional expressions for me.

So once I've gotten that expression out through my fingertips, I'm done with it.

I can release it.

There have been a few that I'm like, ooh, that one turned out so good.

And so honestly, I just pick my price point based on.

I really love this one, so it might be three times more.

And when the person that really loves it that much buys it, then it's meant for them.

So I, honestly try to finish a piece in one sitting because Im in that zone with that piece and can really connect to it.

And I find oftentimes if I have to come back to it, even the next day, I'm like, oh, I don't I'm not in that mindset.

I don't know how to return to that mindset.

So, it's actually a little bit deceptive.

Sometimes the smaller pieces I have a really hard time with because, I can't do fine detail like you would with brushwork.

So, spmetimes the really big pieces I can maybe crank out in a couple of hours where something small might torture me for months.

I think kind of my entire life style, the, the way that I function in the world, I try to focus on play.

I try to focus on joy.

I mean, my whole studio is an expression of play.

And I think we lose that a lot as adults.

And so, for me, to be able to come in here and dancing with my canvas, it's all emotion.

It's all fun.

It's all play.