Erika Craig

Erika Craig


BIO

Erika Craig is a California artist. She recently received her BA at California State University Channel Islands. While there, she studied abroad in Paris, learned to surf, and rediscovered painting, which became her focus. After struggling with the use of her hands and going through surgery, she gained new appreciation for the ability to create, and realized how vital art is in her life. Erika works from her home in Simi Valley, surrounded by various animal companions, and currently shows her work in Ventura and other galleries.  

STATEMENT

I paint figures underwater, immersing my subjects in their surroundings. A person’s reflection in water is a constantly changing self, a distorted image with many sides. Near the surface, the familiar blends into the unknown. Color and shape break down. Things that seem separate become entwined.

Water is the source of life, bodily and spiritual renewal. It represents both life and death, existing in the same place as a continuation. It is the place of origins, and a place inside ourselves where we go to find peace. Making up most of the Earth and most of our bodies, it is the connectedness of things.

I occupy the world below the surface, the subconscious, a place of intuition and dreams. The vague ideas and emotions that don’t quite fit into words. I marvel at the world above the surface, past the limits of our perception. The unseen and unexplained, mysteries beyond our human reach. Reality is deep and complex. The more we delve and search, the more astounding layers we find. Yet in supreme chaos I see universal order. From galaxies to subatomic particles, the curve of a leaf and the human brain.

I prefer the organic to the mechanized, natural to manmade, timeless to modern. In nature, I see the essence of truth and beauty. As people disconnect from nature, they lose a vital understanding. We become preoccupied with the mundane, obsessed with tiny details of our daily lives, restless and struggling for meaning. Forgetting how small we are and how little we control. How strange it is to even exist.

EDUCATION

2012    BA, Studio Art, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA
                 -Magna Cum Laude
                 -Top Program Honors in Art
2010    Summer Abroad, Paris American Academy, Paris, France

AWARDS/HONORS

2012    Best in Show, Buenaventura Art Association
            People's Choice Award, Buenaventura Art Association
            Merit Award, Buenaventura Art Association
            Second Place in Painting, California State University Channel Islands Art Program
            Honorable Mention Prize, Buenaventura Art Association
2011    Outstanding Achievement in Art, California State University Channel Islands Art Program
            Merit Award, Buenaventura Art Association
2009    Second Place in Illustration, California State University Channel Islands Ventura Art Gallery
2008    Certificate of Emphasis in Visual Arts, Santa Susana Magnet High School