ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christine Marie Renhard Stenstrom was born in Bremerton, Washington, in 1946 and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She attended Mountlake Terrace High School in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, and graduated from Cascade High School, Everett, Washington, in 1964.
Christine’s collegiate education began in 1964 at Grays Harbor College, Aberdeen, Washington, in 1964-65, where she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honorary. She continued her college studies at the University of Washington, Seattle, graduating in 1969 with a BA in sociology, a minor in history, and a secondary teaching certificate (Christine and her husband Dennis met at the University of Washington, Seattle in the 1960’s in Suzzallo Library where Christine also worked.). Christine attended Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, graduate studies in special education in 1977. Her graduate paper, “The Impact of Law and Litigation on Special Education,” was circulated among special interests groups.
Since 1970's Christine developed her own unique style of artworks. Her watercolors and pastels are characterized by intense color and boldness and each artwork is dramatic in presentation with her contemporary style of applying watercolors and pastels. Her creative writing evolved since 1991 after Christine designed her first Christmas card with both her artwork and her prose. Her challenge was to combine both her artwork and prose whereby one is the reflection of the other. The reader is both visually and literally inspired by her unique presentations. In 2004, Christine composed her work into manuscript form which continued to evolve until it was published in 2010, titled, "Cherry Blossom Trees Literary Writings and Artworks,” Beaver’s Pond Press. On pages 96-97 of my book, my poem and artwork are featured, titled, “Cherry Blossom Trees.” Note: “The University of Washington Alumni Association’s Cherry Blossom Trees Project in Seattle accepted my artwork and poem, titled, “Cherry Blossom Trees” for their website in April of 2004.” (page 198, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS).
Christine’s inspiration for her artwork, writings, and life in general is Thanks be to Jesus from whom all blessings flow.
As a mother Christine was involved with her daughters activities. Christine chaired art enrichments programs in her daughters schools in Bellevue, Washington, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and Radnor, Pennsylvania. She and her husband Dennis supported Erika and Britt in tennis competition with the United States Tennis Association Junior Tennis tournaments both regionally and nationally. In addition, Christine served on numerous national tournaments in Detroit and San Diego donating her time and artworks. At one time Christine taught tennis to youths in the areas of Chicago and Bellevue, Washington.
Christine also volunteered and chaired junior tennis committees from 1990 onwards for Youth Tennis of San Diego, particularly for the USTA Girls National 16’s Tennis Championships, San Diego, at Morley Field and later at Barnes (Youth) Tennis facility at Pt. Loma.
In 2016, Christine and her husband Dennis, a retired intellectual property attorney from Hewlett Packard, and their Siberian Husky named Kodi, moved from Poway, California, to north Scottsdale, AZ. Since that time, their beloved Kodi passed away on Christmas Eve morning 2019. They have since adopted a beautiful, six year-old female husky, “Snowy” from the AZ Husky Rescue in 2021. Christine & Dennis have two daughters and one granddaughter.
Christine had been a member/regular attendee of several churches particularly Church of the Savior, Wayne, PA, and Emmanuel Faith, Escondido, CA. Recently, in April of 2022, Christine was confirmed in Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church, Carefree, AZ. In addition, Christine has participated in many Bible study classes in several different cities, including Scottsdale, AZ. A noteworthy legacy: Christine is a granddaughter of Rev. Carl J. Renhard, Lutheran Minister, Founder, Emanuel Hospital, Portland, OR, September 14, 1909. (now (Legacy) Emanuel Medical Center). She was also baptized by Rev. Renhard.
All of these amazing experiences contributed to her ability to author her completed manuscript, historical fiction, “White Stones of Pompeii” Copyright © 2008, 2017, 2020 certified by the United States Copyright Office, January 03, 2022, effective October 06, 2021. Please visit (COMPLETED WORKS).
Most importantly, Christine is so incredibly grateful to her husband Dennis, who has patiently kept all of her computer files organized, solved very complex computer problems and whose extraordinary abilities were so profound that without his assistance, my manuscripts would not have evolved.
