Education
MFA The Milton Avery Graduate School for the Arts Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
BA (Fine Art); Sarah Lawrence College; Bronxville, NY
Wadham College, Oxford University; Oxford, England (Byzantine Art History)
Studio Art Center International; Florence, Italy
Independent Study – Byzantine Iconography/Egg Tempera Petro Kholodny, the Younger
Solo Exhibitions
Lucky Charms, Talisman of a former life 81 Leonard Gallery, Tribeca, NYC 2023
Finding Sanctuary in the time of Pandemic, Installation by Christina Saj Ukrainian Museum, NYC | 2022
Sacred Space: Art as Sanctuary First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor MI | 2021
Longing For What Belongs to Us FreshAirMontclair, 73 See Gallery, Montclair NJ 2020
RE:create – Christina Saj’s Transformative Paintings, Ukrainian Museum, NYC | 2019
Cruciform, Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta GA | 2014
Let the Angels Sing! 5th Avenue Presbyterian, New York, NY | 2012
Chorus of Angels, Christ Church Episcopal, Glen Ridge NJ | 2011
Angels, Shepherds and Kings Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta GA | 2011
On a Wing and A Prayer, Center for Lifelong Learning, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA | 2011
Images of Faith, Grantham Church, Grantham, PA | 2010
Form Seeking Expression, Marion Artistic Creations, Marian Library, University of Dayton, Dayton OH | 2010
The Six Days of Creation, New Brunswick Theological Seminary Chapel, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ | 2008
Visions and Imaginings, artpsace 129, Montclair, NJ | 2006
Lisova Pisnia, Ukrainian Education and Cultural Center, Philadelphia PA | 2004
Art: The Ultimate Asset, PNC Bank, Montclair, NJ 2004
The Tree of Life, American Embassy, Doha, Qatar | 2004
Words and Images, works on paper The Rosalind & Alfred Lippman Gallery, Short Hills, NJ | 2003
Indomitable Spirit: Paintings of Faith, Hope and Remembrance The Interchurch Center, NY, NY | 2001
The Guiding Spirit, The Bible Technologies Conference, Chantilly, VA | 2001
The Corporate Landscape, Brodsky Gallery, Chauncey Conference Center, Princeton, NJ | 2001
Painted Prayers, St. James Chapel, Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, NY, NY | 2000
Drawing on Inspiration, Midland Gallery; Montclair, NJ | 1999
Music as Art/Art as Music, Central Presbyterian Church, Montclair, NJ | 1999
Celebration of Faith, Central Presbyterian Church; Montclair, NJ | 1997
Remembering Myth, Midland Gallery; Montclair, NJ | 1997
Allegories, The Lobby Gallery, New York, NY | 1995
Saints, Kings and Prophets, The Lobby Gallery, New York, NY | 1995
Contemporary Icons, Norbert Considine Gallery, Princeton, NJ | 1994
New Painting, Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation, Toronto, Canada | 1993
Recent Works, The Ukrainian Institute of America, New York, NY | 1992
Defining the Spirit Within, (MFA show) Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY | 1991
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Exquisite AI, Odetta Digital, ARTSY online
SHIM Art Network at Aqua Art Miami, Miami FL
Hands of the People: A Creche Festival, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Houston, TX
Defending Ukrainian Cultural Heritage, General Consulate of the Republic of Poland, New York
ODETTA Digital II Exquisite Codes Berlin Bla-Bla Projektraum Berlin, Germany
MYTHOS, The Gallery Space, Rahway NJ
2022
(de)construct Insight Artspace, Pelham NY curated by Catherine Testorf
UltraLight Beam! Pelham Art Center, Pelham NY curated by Rebecca Mills Pelham NY
Serious Play, Odetta Digital ARTSY online
Ode to A Butterfly, Ukrainian Institute of America New York NY
Maker’s Marks, The Gallery Space, Rahway NJ
Small Works Atelier Rosal, Rahway NJ
Wake Up! ArtRat Gallery, Grand Rapids MI
Artiststs and Allies League ARTSY online
2021
Among gifts to the museum: The collection of I. Nosek, National Museum, Lviv Ukraine
Winter Invitational, ARG,Grand Rapids MI,
Lost and Found: A Personal Vision, New York Artists Circle (online)
Outling the Garden, Hammond Museum, North Salem NY curated by Bibiana Huang Matheis (online)
2018
Arabesque: Contemporary Conversations, Albin Polasek Museum, Winter Park, FL
Stillness, curated by Elizabeth Mead, proff. College of William and Mary New York Artists Circle (online)
2016
Sacred Spaces / Holy Places, St Lukes – Nails in the Wall Gallery, Metuchen, NJ
2015
The Ukrainian Diaspora: Women Artists 1908-2015, Ukrainian Museum NYC, curator: Adrienne Kochmann
2014
AMEN: A Prayer for the World, CARAVAN Festival of the Arts, National Cathedral, Washington, DC
AMEN: A Prayer for the World, CARAVAN Festival of the Arts, St John the Divine, NYC
2013
Sacred Voices, Canton Museum of Art, Canton, Ohio, curated by Michelle Walkes
Windows on Heaven, Contemporary Icons, Nails in the Wall, The Gallery at St. Lukes, Metuchen NJ
2012
Holy Lives, Mahoney Gallery, College of Saint Elizabeth, Morristown, NJ curated by Virginia Butera PhD
Cherubs : From Imps to Angels, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cotuit, MA
2011
Artful Living, Ashenfelter, Slous McDounough & Trevenen, Montclair, NJ
2010
MICAS 2010, Galeri Dunia Seni Lukis. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Genesis & Evolution, Studio Montclair, Academy Square, Montclair, NJ
Fellowship and Communion, EVCA online
2009
Fine Art / Folk Art: A Dialogue, The Ukrainian Museum, New York, NY
2007
A Collection Revealed: The Ukrainian Museum at 30 Paintings and Sculpture from the Permanent Collection, The Ukrainian Museum, New York, NY
Flights of Fancy, Artspace 129, Montclair, NJ
Choose Your Muse featuring 11 Women Artists The Field School, Washington, DC
Art Strings, NJ Symphony, NJPAC Newark,
Art Strings, NJ Symphony,NJ Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton NJ
What’s New! Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ
2006
Koliada: Winter Rituals, Ukrainian Institute of America, New York, NY
Art Connections 3, George Segal Gallery, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
What’s New, Studio Montclair Summer Salon, Montclair Public Library, Montclair, NJ
Perspectives on Ukrainian Culture and Art, Kreeger Gallery, Potomac MD
2005
Truth, Gallery 214, Montclair, NJ
Landscape 4 Artists Views, Artspace 129, Montclair, NJ
125th Anniversary Exhibit, UCCA (Ukrainian Congress Committee of America) Museum of Cultural Heritage, Kiev Ukraine –
traveling to Charkiv, Donetsk, Dnipro-Petrovsk and Lviv.
2004
Works on Paper, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ
A Full Plate, Makeready’s Gallery 214, Montclair, NJ
2003
Women Artist of Montclair: Black and White, Nandi Art Gallery: Montclair, NJ
The Art of Collecting Fine Art The Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ
Art In Bloom, The Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, NJ
Connections, Kustlerbund, Graz, Austria
2002
Remembrance, Renewal and Reflection – The Unity Quilt Arts Council of the Morris Area
The Art of Collecting Fine Art, The Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ
“Eggstavaganza” The Los Angeles County Zoo, Los Angeles, CA
2001
SQUARED, Dupre Gallery, Montclair, NJ
Pysanka, The White House, Washington, DC
Double Take, West Orange Arts Council Invitational, West Orange, NJ
The Bigger, The Better, Nabisco Art Gallery, East Hanover, NJ
SMI Fourth Annual National Juried Exhibition, Gallery 214, Montclair, NJ
2000
Cow Parade, West Orange, New Jersey
Surviving Symbols, (2 person show with Rodriguez Calero) Westminster Gallery, Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ
The Word as Art: Contemporary Renderings, Museum of Biblical Art, New York, NY
1999
Cross Purposes: Traditional Symbol – Contemporary Visions, Korn Gallery, Drew University, Madison, NJ, Curator: Vereen Parnell
Cross Purposes: Traditional Symbol / Contemporary Visions,, American Academy of Religion. Old South Church. Boston, MA
National 5ive, ALJIRA – Center for Contemporary Art, Newark, NJ
Art at the Institute 1990-1996, Ukrainian Institute of America, New York, NY | catalogue
Studio Montclair: Annual Juried Exhibition Midland Gallery, Montclair, NJ
1998
Montclair State University: National Juried Small Works Show, Montclair State University Gallery; Montclair, NJ
Studio Montclair: First Annual Juried Exhibition Midland Gallery; Montclair, NJ
Our Mother Theresa, ArtBuilders Gallery; Jersey City, NJ
Reflections and Projections, Church Street, First Night Montclair, NJ
NJCW Art Show, Van Vleck Mansion, Montclair, NJ
Matter of Substance, Midland Gallery, Montclair, NJ
1997
Generations, A.I.R.; New York, NY
Artistic License, Nabisco Art Gallery; East Hanover, NJ
The Rest of the Colony, Midland Gallery; Montclair, NJ
1996
25 Years of Contemporary Art, at the Institute The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago IL | catalogue
Signifying Love, The Lobby Gallery, New York, NY
1995
Myth, Form & Spirit, (3 east coast artists) The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago IL, | catalogue
1992
NJ Arts Ben Shahn Galleries, William Paterson College, Wayne, NJ
1991
100 New York Artists, Whetherholt Galleries, Washington, DC
Published Writings
Danylo Movchan’s Mariupol, Prayer, Pain, The Christian Century, August 11, | 2022
Painting thru the Pandemic, CIVA VOICES | 2020
On Art in Isolation, sheltering in place and Finding Sanctuary, Our Life | Oct 2020
Ghosts of Byzantium, Literature & Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Press; Fall, | 1997
Ilona Sochynsky – A Journey into Abstraction, The Creative Woman; Winter, | 1993
Visiting Artist Invitation, Lectures Presentations & Workshops
Episcopal Archdiocese of Newark, Creativity in Crisis: Faith in Process Oct 2022
Pelham Art Center: Four Ukrainian American Artists: on culture and artistic practice April 2022
The Ukrainian Museum: Finding Sanctuary 2021
St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Metuchen NJ – Rountable Discussion: on icons “…and find in them, not bonds, but wings” April 2013
Christ Church Episcopal – Glen Ridge/Bloomfield NJ, “Art in Sacred Spaces”, Feb 2012
Central Presbyterian Church – Atlanta, GA “Insights and Inspirations”, Nov 2011
Museum of Biblical Art NYC – New York, NY, “Theology in Color: Tradition, Iconography and the Art of Icon Writing” June 2010
New Brunswick Theological Seminary, St Johns Campus, NY “Six Days of Creation” April 2010
New Brunswick Theological Seminary New Brunswick, NJ “Painted Prayers” May 2008
Studio Montclair: NJ“Salons: The Joy of Conversation” Jun. 2004
Temple Bnai Jeshurun, Short Hills NJ “Words and Images” Feb. 2003
Union Theological Seminary, NYC “Painted Prayers” Feb. 2000
Caldwell College, NJ Visiting Artist Lecture Feb. 1999
Drew University, NJ “Through the eyes of icons” Mar. 1999
UAPBA NY/NJ Chapter, NYC “A Work in Progress” Sept. 1998
The Midland Gallery, NJ “On Myth & Painting” Sept. 1997
Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC “On Allegories” Apr. 1995
Ukrainian Museum, NYC “Faces one can pray to – the icons of P. Cholodny” Nov. 1994
Selected Bibliography
Collections
Saj’s work is found in numerous private collections, in the US and Abroad. Selected list of public, corporate and museum collections:
American Bible Society Philadelphia PA
Ascension Saint Thomas, Nashville TN
Blanc & Otis, Austin, TX
Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta GA
Cigi Gallery Assoc. St. Louis, MI
Museum of Biblical Art, Dallas TX
Museum of Cultural Heritage, – Kiev, Ukraine
National Museum, Lviv Ukraine
The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art – Chicago, IL
The Ukrainian Museum, NY, NY
Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation – Toronto, CA
Published Works (Art)
Saj’s work has been widely published, especially in liturgical contexts a selective list of publishers includes:
Augsburg Fortress
Christianity Today
First United Methodist Church, Amityville NY
Forward Movement
Liturgical Press
Logos Productions
Loyola Press
Johns Hopkins University Press
Middlebury University
St John on the Mountain, Bernardsville, NJ
St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Minneapolis MN
St Stephens Church, Ridgefield CT
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
The Other Side
The Progressive Christian
This Month, LIfe and Leisure
Ukrainian Institute of America, NYC
Ukrainian Catholic Woman’s League of Canada
Ukrainian National Association
Ukrainian National Women’s League of America
Zooid Pictures Limited, UK
Public Art
Longing For What Belongs to Us FreshAirMontclair, Bloomfield Ave. Montclair NJ 2020
Eggstravaganza, The White House, Washington DC 2002
Cow Parade, Essex Green, West Orange NJ 2000
Reflections and Projections, Church Street, Montclair, NJ 1999
Glen Ridge Medical Arts Bldg. 1997
Curatorial
ARTpsace 129, Montclair, NJ | Curator and Director 2005-2007
Color and Field – large abstract works by Nancy Bergman Pantirer, 2007
Flights of Fancy (art inspired by birds) 2007
Saron Ligorner and Karen Fitzgerald, 2006
Surface Tension mixed media works by Nancy Tobin, 2006
Works on paper, 2006
Visions and Imaginings, 2006
winter salon :: woman’s work, Susan Baker, VS Block, Sheila Grabarsky, Donna Grande, Janet Kolstein, Diane Lachman, Lynda Ray, Nancy Tobin, Carolyn Lee Vehslage 2006
Whimsy, William Hogan, Susan Baker, Lucille Nurkse and David Johnston 2005
Local Color – NJ artists, works by 28 artists in NJ 2005
Tapestries, Laurie McCoy Foster, Arthur Paxton, Lee Muslin, harriet regina marion 2005
Landscape 4 Artist’s Views, Cecile Brunswick, Linda Ippolito, Christina Saj and Ilona Sochysnky, 2005
Focus on Collage Collages by Rodriguez Calero, Phyllis Huggett, Nancy Egol Nikkal and Nancy Tobin 2004
Studio Montclair Summer Salon Montclair, NJ 2004, 40+ artists for salon style exhibition
Westfield Art Show Juror: Westfield Art Show, Westfield, NJ Oct 2003, Selection and presentation of awards.
International Artists Exchange “Connections”
Kunstler Haus, Graz, Austria, Dec 2003: Initiated and developed an exchange exhibition between sister cities with resident art groups for Montclair Artists with Artists in the sister city Graz, Austria.
The Garden of Distances: Curator of an exhibition of works inspired by Robert Kelly’s Book of Poems and etchings in artistic collaboration with Brigette Mahlknecht from a book by the same name. Participating artists include: Serena Bocchino, Mona Brody, Barbara Gordon, Alyce Gottesman, Judy Lapides, Brigette Mahlknecht, Ellizabeth Riley
Westfield Art Show: Juror: Westfield Art Show, Westfield, NJ May 2001, Selection and presentation of awards.
Views: Interpreting the Landscape: Curator, Nabisco World Headquarters, Art Gallery, East Hanover, NJ May – June 2001. Participants include: Jane Bloodgood-Adams, Laura Chenicek, Zhiyan Cong, Nidia D’Allessandro, Elizabeth Horowitz, Catherine Kinkade, Marlene Lenker, Susan Miiller, Angela Milner, Pamela Moore, and Jay Seldin.
Projected Visions Montclair State University Art Gallery, Feb 2000 – facilitated exhibition with with MSU Gallery Director, Studio Montclair staff, and Nan Rosenthal Juror, Metropolitan Museum, NYC
Residencies, Awards & Honors
Honorable Mention, A Creche Festival, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Houston, TX 2023
Artist In Residence, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, 2022
A Prayer for the World at National Cathedral in Washington DC and Cathedral of St John the Divine, invited artist, NYC 2014
Alpha Omega Arts: Inspire Me! Artist, 2013
Artist In Residence, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, NJ 2008
Arts In Embassies Program, Doha, Qatar, US Dept of State 2002
The Egg Came First invited artist the White House 2001 invited artist
Cow Parade 2000 Township of West Orange NJ invited artist