BIO + CV

EXHIBITION HISTORY 

2022- Arts Revive “Roots and Wings 19th Annual Juried Art Exhibition” // Selma, AL (group exhibition)

2018-     Lucille Khornak Gallery "True Independence" // Bridgehampton, NY (group exhibition)
2018-     Studio Waveland "Vībrənsē" // Waveland, MS (group exhibition)
   2018-    Selma Art Guild "Summer Juried Art Exhibition" // Selma, AL (group exhibition)
2018-     Selma Art Guild "May Featured Artist"  // Selma, AL (solo exhibition)
2018-     Pensacola Museum of Art "MoPMA" // Pensacola, FL (group exhibition)

 CRAWFORD McWILLIAMS     |     BIO + STATEMENT

GROWING UP IN THE BLACKBELT OF ALABAMA, MY LOVE OF ART BEGAN AT A VERY YOUNG AGE WHEN I BEGAN TAKING ART CLASSES. THIS EARLY CREATIVE FOUNDATION INSPIRED ME TO SEEK OUT A FIELD OF STUDY WHICH WOULD CULTIVATE MY PASSION FOR ART AND ITS APPLICATION IN HOME INTERIORS.  IN 2008, I GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA WITH A B.S. IN INTERIOR DESIGN AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER I MOVED TO ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA. THE BEAUTIFUL COASTAL SCENERY IS CONSTANTLY INSPIRING ME AS AN ARTIST AND RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER AND I HAVE BEEN CREATING INVITING SPACES ALONG THE GULF COAST EVER SINCE.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED PAINTING THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE LIFE; HOWEVER, I DIDN’T START PAINTING PROFESSIONALLY UNTIL RECENTLY. IN JANUARY 2017, MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY VERY UNEXPECTEDLY. MY MOTHER WAS MY BIGGEST FAN- OF MY ART, MY CREATIVITY, AND MY PASSION TO MAKE EVERYTHING THAT I ENCOUNTERED BEAUTIFUL. SHE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED ME TO GET BACK TO PAINTING REGULARLY AND I JUST NEVER SEEMED TO MAKE THE TIME. LOSING HER WAS HANDS DOWN THE HARDEST THING THAT I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. AFTER MONTHS OF GRIEVING, I DECIDED THAT ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH AND IT WAS TIME TO TAKE THE LEAP INTO PAINTING PROFESSIONALLY. I DECIDED TO PUT 100% INTO TURNING MY LONG LOST HOBBY INTO A CAREER. SO HERE I AM NOW…PAINTING EVERY DAY AND HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE.  I PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO EVERY BRUSHSTROKE AND I KNOW THAT SHE IS SO PROUD OF THE ARTIST THAT I HAVE BECOME.

AS AN ARTIST, I AM INSPIRED BY EVERYTHING AROUND ME- ARCHITECTURE, NATURE, AND EVEN EVERYDAY OBJECTS. MEMORIES ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MY WORK.  I CAN SEE A CERTAIN COLOR AND IT WILL BRING BACK A SENSE OF FAMILIARITY FROM A PAST EXPERIENCE OR PLACE I HAVE VISITED.  THOSE FLASHES OF BEAUTY AND FAMILIARITY STRONGLY INFLUENCE MY ENERGETIC, EXPRESSIVE PAINTING STYLE. I AM FANATICAL ABOUT COLOR AND I DON’T THINK THAT I COULD EVER PICK JUST ONE TO BE MY FAVORITE. I LOVE THE PUNCH OF A BRIGHT MAGENTA, THE CHEERFULNESS OF A LEMON YELLOW, AND THE DEPTH OF A PRUSSIAN BLUE. EACH COLOR POSESSES INFINITE WAYS TO BE LAYERED INTO A RICH AND EXPRESSIVE VISUAL STATEMENT.  MY PRIMARY MEDIUM IS OIL BECAUSE I FIND ITS RICH PIGMENT SO SATISFYING TO MANIPULATE BUT I ALSO LIKE TO INCORPORATE OTHER MEDIUMS INTO MY PAINTINGS ON OCCASION. I USE A RANGE OF TOOLS WHEN PAINTING AND I LIKE TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT SHAPES AND COMPOSITIONAL RELATIONSHIPS- CROSSING LINES, SCRATCHES, ORGANIC AND GEOMETRIC SHAPES, TEXTURES, AND UNUSUAL COLOR COMBINATIONS. MY PROCESS INVOLVES EXPERIMENTATION AS WELL- SOMETIMES ADDING, SOMETIMES SUBTRACTING.

I FIND PAINTING TO BE VERY THERAPEUTIC AND THE PEACE THAT I FIND IN MY STUDIO IS LIKE NO OTHER. I CAN BLOCK OUT ALL OUTSIDE DISTRACTIONS AND TRULY BE ALONE WITH MY THOUGHTS. PAINTING LETS ME ESCAPE INTO A WORLD FAR AWAY WHERE I AM TOTALLY FOCUSED ON CREATING. AT TIMES, THE CANVAS REFLECTS MY GAZE BACK INWARD AND AN IDEA OF THE COMPOSITION SURFACES FROM DEEP WITHIN MY CONSCIOUSNESS. AS I CONTINUE TO PAINT THE IMAGE UNFOLDS TOWARD MY INITIAL VISION BUT SOMETIMES THE PAINTING STARTS OUT ON ONE PATH AND ENDS ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONCEPT. YOU SEE, PAINTING IS A LOT LIKE LIFE…NOTHING IS SET IN STONE. SOMETIMES WE MAY FEEL LIKE WE ARE SET ON A CERTAIN PATH BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND REMEMBER THAT WE ARE THE ARTISTS OF OUR OWN LIVES. THE BEAUTY OF LIFE IS THAT EVEN IF YOU AREN’T HAPPY WITH “YOUR WORK” RIGHT NOW AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT, YOU CAN KEEP ADDING LAYERS AND LAYERS TO YOURSELF. EVENTUALLY, WE WILL ALL GET OUR MASTERPIECE JUST RIGHT.

JOYFULLY,

CRAWFORD