Meet Christine Maiato FitzGerald | Artist/Yogi/Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Maiato FitzGerald and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Throughout my life, I have always played it safe, absolutely terrified to take any risks for fear of the unknown. To some degree, I can still play it safe with certain things, but my position on risk-taking completely changed about 10 years ago. I put myself through art school, obtained my yoga instructor certification, and got divorced, but not necessarily in that order. I set an intention back in 2019 that I would open my own art/yoga studio gallery. However, after making all the preparations to open in 2020, Covid it. We put off our initial opening, but decided to take the risk and open in December, 2020. Of course, anything associated with yoga was put on hold and still is…for the moment. I could just feel that it was the right time to move forward with launching the art gallery side of the plan, despite the pandemic. We decided to take the risk and pull the trigger on my dream and haven’t looked back in the rearview mirror. Although risk has its negatives, I had been through so much that risk was something I no longer shied away from. I have learned that risk is worth taking, for it is better to regret something you have done than regret something you have not done.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My mediums are primarily painting and photography. I cannot choose which I love more! If an artist follows their heart, then the art will reflect their unique identity. I have a severe love for texture…color comes in second. Creating the juxtaposition between them is very exciting to me. In painting, I look forward to experimenting with different techniques of what works and what does not. The absolute best scenario for me is when I create an effect that I was not expecting. I was always artistic as a little girl, but veered off the art course after high school before heading back to college to study Fine Arts as an adult. I worked full-time the entire time I was in school, which was extremely challenging. I need to credit my amazing professors who not only gave me the instruction and schedule flexibility to succeed, but would also let me go off and allow my concepts to develop. My achieving MaiatoFitz Art was not and is not at all easy! Cultivating art is not easy in any genre:. It’s a constant mixture of time, money, energy, determination, devotion and last but certainly not least, creativity. You must love it. I do love it, otherwise I could not be doing this. I have overcome the fundamental challenges of initially not having the financial backing and emotional support needed to bring MaiatoFitz Art to fruition. I have learned that the single greatest resource is myself and nurturing this will attract all that is necessary to accomplish all that I deserve.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
New Bedford has had a truly amazing renaissance in the last 10 years or so, especially Downtown. A growing arts community is abound, and along with multiple shops and eateries. The Green Bean is my favorite for yummy breakfast or lunch sandwiches – and I always grab a smoothie too. I also love to have lunch at Moby Dick Brewing Co. or No Problemo, which never disappoints for something more substantial. A visit to Play, the only arcade and restaurant in New Bedford for a blast-from-the-past trip. They also feature a roof-top deck with live acoustic entertainment. Popping into the local art galleries are a must, including Gallery X, Alison Wells Fine Art Gallery and the New Bedford Art Museum. I always find something at Calico, a wonderful bohemian-eclectic boutique.  The Drawing Room and The Bedford Merchant have all the unique gifts you could ask for. I am also a hard-core music lover, and checking out old-school Purchase Street Records is a must-do, as it boasts the largest collection of vinyl and limited-edition vintage music memorabilia around. Our favorite restaurant for dinner is The Black Whale on New Bedford’s waterfront with some outstanding seafood eats. And of course, a trip to MaiatoFitz Art Gallery & Studio features my works, the current Artist of the Month, along with several local artisans’ works on the gallery floor! It is located in the Kilburn Artisan Center located in the Kilburn Mill in New Bedford.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I absolutely need to thank my husband, Sean, my true partner in life and now in business. He is my biggest fan! Without his love, support and encouragement, opening MaiatoFitz Art Gallery & Studio would not have been possible. Sean offers his time and insight in the running of the gallery, which is extremely helpful. We are constantly bouncing ideas off each other. He also has a constant flow of out-of-the box ideas that we add and subtract to stay current in the local art community, as well as fostering what we are trying to achieve at MaiatoFitz Art. And I also need to dedicate a shoutout to my beloved mother, Maria. She instilled in me the determination to push through barriers with no excuses to get where I need to be.

Website: maiatofitzart.com

Instagram: maiatofitz_art

Facebook: MaiatoFitz Art Gallery & Studio