PORTIA WILLIAMS
PDT Staff Writer
The Southern Ohio Museum is featuring award winning artist Stephanie Craig’s, “Fossilized Memories,” through Oct. 24. The Fossilized Memories Series is a collection of sculptures which explore the the notion of recorded thoughts and personal history.
“The aesthetics of my artwork are rooted in keen observations of form and design in nature. I am captivated by encapsulated forms, revealed interiors, skeletal structures, surface textures and patterns, symmetries, and the scars of erosion. Although organic, my art forms are interjected with human made markings; text, numeric codes, industrial stampings,” Craig said.
Though a native of Canada, Craig presently resides in Cleveland, Ohio with her husband Todd Leech, who is also an artist. Her work is crafted and engineered at her which she calls, “Hectic Studio,” located in downtown Cleveland.
Stephanie earned a Master of Fine Art degree in Edinboro University of Pennsylvannia. In addition to her studio work, Stephanie teaches Ceramics part time at Cuyahoga Community College, in Parma Ohio.
Darren Baker, Director of Visual Arts at the Southern Ohio Museum said that he is really excited about featuring Craig’s exhibit at the Southern Ohio Museum.
“They both have experience in industrial, inner-city kind of neighborhoods, and so you see a lot of artifacts, a lot of these kinds of things in there work,” Baker said. “These industrial springs, some old filter things, those types of forms. I think that comes from where they occupy an area where a lot of industry is left. I think that we can relate to that here, in that we have factories that are defunct, and we see a lot of what we would call artifacts, or objects.”
The cliche, of a starving artist cannot be associated with Craig, who has recently received awards and recognition for her artwork.
Craig’s most recent recognition was in 2011, in which she received Cleveland’s prestigious CPAC Creative Workforce Fellowship. The Fellowship allocated a $20,000 prize.
During the summer of 2011 Stephanie participated in the Artist-in-Residence program at Guldargergaard International Ceramics Research Center in Denmark.
She concluded the residency with a two-person exhibition in the Apple House Gallery in Skealskor, Denmark. Craig’s artwork was accepted into the Guldagegaard permanent collection.
May 2009, Stephanie graced the cover of “Ceramics Monthly,” as she was featured as “Emerging Artist.”
Craig was also honored in 2008, with an Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council.
Exhibition of Craig’s artwork is quite extensive, including an exhibition show which she currently shares with her husband at the Rosewood Gallery in Kettering, Ohio.
Craig also has several sculptures from the Factory Work Series at the Snyderman-Works Gallery in Philadelphia, Pa.
Craig said that ambiguity is what peeks her interest when it comes to making distinctions in her artwork.
“I am interested in the ambiguous place between natural and human-made: is it cultural artifact or natural object,” Craig said.
Baker said that he is confident that the “Fossilized Memories” exhibit will be compelling, and one which local residents can relate to.
“There is a personal interpretation of history embedded in Craig’s work, which I think is very interesting,” Baker said.
Craig’s exhibition will run from Aug. 24 to Oct. 12.
In addition to the exhibitions, the public is also invited to join Craig for a SmARTtalk lecture at noon Sept. 14 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. in Richard’s Gallery at the museum.
Craig will personally expound upon her pieces of artwork being displayed, providing insight about the inspirations behind her artwork.
There will be a reception immediately following the lecture. For more information about artist Stephanie Craig’s “Fossilized Memories” exhibit, please call the Southern Ohio Museum at 740-354-5629.
Portia Williams may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 234 or portiawilliams@heartlandpublications.com
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