| ARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Artist, and orthodontist, Dr. Van Christou was born in Lethbridge, Alberta in 1926. While a keen student, Van was always passionate about art. Van studied art at the Banff School of Fine Arts and ceramics at the University of Lethbridge, Department of Fine Arts. He also attended numerous photography workshops. In 1987, Van retired from orthodontics to devote himself fulltime to photography.
A committed citizen of Lethbridge and the art community, Van and his wife, Helen, were the first to secure a major art donation to the University of Lethbridge and helped to build the institution’s extensive art collection. Van received an honorary degree from the University of Lethbridge in 1984, and the Helen Christou Gallery was opened in 2002. Van also received the Citizen of the Year award in 2014.
He and his wife’s penchant for travel, exposure to world-class museums and love of nature are evident in Van’s photographs. With sophisticated design and composition, Van’s work brings exotic cultures and locales to life. His photographs have been shown throughout Alberta and reside in a number of private collections. Some of his pieces are held in public collections, including the collections of the National Film Board and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. |