Chryssie B. Tavrides, a native of Chicago and resident of Florida for 30 years, knew by the age of 10 what she wanted to do and by 12 she was taking Saturday classes at the Art Institute in Chicago on a small scholarship for grade school students.

Thinking she'd be a fashion illustrator, it was her father, a commercial artist, who told her she had to learn how to draw figures as well. She remembers standing behind him and watching him work and as she worked and became interested, she took her artwork beyond illustrations into painting.

Chryssie went on to the Art Institute of Chicago earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and studied under Boris Anisfeld, Gunther, Lagerstrom and others.

Working in a her home studio, Tavrides has made a professional career from her artwork and doing commissioned portraits and paintings.

Chryssie's work ranges from oil paintings to acrylics, pastels, charcoal pencil, stone lithographs and mixed media.