Chelsea Criger
The sculptural mountains created by Chelsea Criger invite the viewer to face forward while also taking the time to reflect, using a variety of materials, pattern, and techniques to create dream like dioramas of a mini fantasy landscape. We want to explore the details of each one!
Chelsea Criger is an emerging artist currently based in Detroit, Michigan. The mediums she works in are installation art, abstract painting, and sculpture. Her work has been previously exhibited in the Midwest, New York, and London.
Chelsea has previously worked at the Sidewalk Festival Detroit, Lexington Children’s Theatre, the Fish Factory Creative Centre, Hawthorne and Heaney, and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Technology from Oakland University.
Chelsea shares insight into her work and process:
Having begun my training in the theatre arts, I discovered a love of self-expression through abstract painting, installation art, and sculpture. With my art I explore my endless fascination of human emotions, connections, and experiences, especially my own. My process is often organic and free flowing because of this. While I may have a plan to how a certain project may turn out, by the project completion it will always be at least a tiny bit different due to what the project may need. It is important to my art practice that I explore a different emotion or experience with each piece, though often straying away from dark colors and rather focusing on the vibrancy of each experience, which is reflected in my color palette.
Mountains are magnificent natural structures that are consistently changing but have stood the test of time. Through my newest sculptural series "Peak" I explore the topics of self love and self acceptance through my abstracted version of mountains. I have learned throughout my life that the path to both self acceptance and self care is a continuous, uphill journey. We must keep climbing in order to reach that beautiful summit, and while we may stumble upon the way, that summit is always there for us when we are ready and able to claim it. Each sculpture has a reflective element to it, which signifies how we can reflect back on our past selves, which is vital in order to grow as a person. This will not only aid us in accepting past versions of ourselves, but the current and future versions as well.
Originally published 7/22/2020
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