Christopher Sweeney(I)

Christopher Sweeney was born in an Indian Health Service (IHS) Hospital and raised in Yakima, Washington. After graduating from high school, he served a four-year enlistment in the US Marine Corps. It was, in part, his military experiences - traveling extensively abroad and fighting in the first Gulf war (receiving a Silver Star for gallantry in action) - that so profoundly shaped who he is as an artist today. But it wasn't until his late twenties, after graduating from the University of Washington with a BA in Political Science, that he fully recognized where his passions lie: the visual and performing arts. After this realization, Christopher decided to make the move to Los Angeles. He packed up his 1976 VW Van and hit the road with barely enough money to make the trip. Since arriving in Los Angeles, Christopher has acted in more than twenty-five National and International commercial spots; he's played a variety of spirited characters on stage, including Rubek in Ibsen's When We Dead Awaken, Jerry in Albee's Zoo Story and Peter in Lett's Bug, to name a few; he's performed at renowned venues, such as The Actors Gang and The Kirk Douglas Theater, sharing the stage with esteemed actors Gary Cole, Laura Dern, Jim Beaver and Ken Howard; he's starred and co-starred in numerous independent and big studio feature films. Christopher is a uniquely talented self-taught visual artist as well. And he's an advocate for military veterans and their integration into the arts, devoting time and energy to various non-profits such as United States Veterans Artist Alliance and the Veteran's Center for the Performing Arts whenever possible.