From ages four to 14, Christina McField witnessed the power of art in community spaces, watching hairstylists transform appearances in her mother's hair salon, Christina's Hair Designs, in the mid-1990s to the early 2000s in Jackson. McField took that inspiration and started selling her own drawings to customers—her first experience as an art dealer and advocate for her own work. That decade shaped her path to becoming a Contemporary Artist and Culture Producer.

"I didn't really go to summer camps or art classes when I was younger, but I used to sit and draw names, little doodles, and tree houses and things," said McField, one of 12 chosen for the 2025 Mississippi Invitational exhibition at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA). "I remember my dad saw my drawings of the tree houses, and he told me that I could be an architect one day. I think that moment for me was pretty profound."

It was the first time that she had associated a career with a skill or a gift. She went to college initially as an Architecture major, but realized it didn't speak to her boundary-breaking spirit.

Mississippi State to Chicago: Building an Arts Education Foundation

McField dived deeper into art forms, and armed herself with a Fine Arts and Sculpture degree from Mississippi State University and a Master's in Art Administration and Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has since built an impressive career.

The Woodgrain Studio: Contemporary Art Meets Documentary Photography

McField is the Creative Director and Founder of The Woodgrain Studio, where she operates as both a practicing Contemporary Artist specializing in Documentary Photography and Sculpture. She's also a sought-after Arts Consultant connecting people, art, and history as a Culture Producer, creating meaningful experiences for the community. She has produced events from Chicago to Jackson, including work on the traveling contemporary art exhibition "A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration," co-organized by the MMA and the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA).

Creating Community Through "The Art of Wellness" and Cultural Events

Her signature event series began with "The Art of Wellness," and she's currently developing "The Art of Memory"—continuing her commitment to creating educational, resource-rich experiences that serve the community.

Preserving Jackson's History Through Art and Architecture

What sets McField apart is her deep connection to memory, time, history, and preservation. Aside from all of her family heirlooms, antiques, and collections, McField drives for hours at a time around Mississippi, particularly Jackson, documenting old homes and abandoned buildings. She has an urgency to preserve Jackson's architectural history and to tell its story through her work.

Documentary Photography: Capturing Mississippi's Abandoned Stories

"I find beauty in that because I'm always wondering who used to live there," McField explained. "What are the stories and things that these people lived through during those times?"

Visit Christina's work at christinamcfield.com and follow her journey on Instagram @Christina McField and @TheWoodgrainStudio.