KRISTA CUNNINGHAM
Whimsical Folk Artist and Mosaic Storyteller
Krista Cunningham is a self-taught artist who has spent over 20 years exploring and creating with a wide variety of media and techniques. Her journey into the world of art began with a desire to share her creativity, which led her to teach children’s multimedia art classes in her community. This rewarding experience became the foundation for Krista’s signature whimsical folk art style.
Over the years, Krista has become a featured artisan in numerous local craft markets and artisan shows. Deeply passionate about sustainability, she began repurposing and painting salvaged materials like driftwood, old rocking chairs, benches, window frames, and reclaimed wood. Her work brings new life to forgotten or discarded items, infusing them with character and story. Nature plays a central role in her inspiration, and her love of reuse and reclamation shines through each piece. Krista's paintings are playful, full of movement, and often feature charming animal characters that have become some of her most beloved works
After experimenting with many different art forms, Krista discovered her true passion in the world of mosaic art. Drawn in by the sparkle and texture of sea glass—something her daughter adored—Krista began creating vibrant mosaics using salvaged glass. She found stained glass to be too structured, while mosaics offered her the freedom to let the shapes and colors of the glass determine the imagery. Using reclaimed window frames as her canvas, she creates sea glass murals and mosaics that capture the spirit of the West Coast. Her process is intuitive, flowing like brushstrokes made not with paint, but with pieces of glass. Each mosaic is a unique puzzle—one where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
For Krista, mosaics are not just art—they are a metaphor for life. They speak to transformation, adaptation, and the beauty of assembling something meaningful from fragments. “Life is a puzzle,” she says. “We find our pieces along the way.” What starts as a simple idea evolves through form, color, and shape, tessellating into a final piece that tells a story and sparks the imagination.
