Anna Craycroft
Anna Craycroft
Workspace Program Resident 2012
The pieces that I made with Dieu Donné are part of a larger project exploring the principles of crystal formation through artworks that are both didactic and abstract. This project is inspired by the innovations of radical 19th century pedagogue Friedrich Froebel: crystallographer, designer of teaching toys, and esoteric dreamer.
The paper forms are illustrations of eight different crystals: helvite, malachite, azurite, boracite, parisite, tungtupite, axinite and zinkinite. Each piece can be folded to create a three-dimensional geometric model of one of the seven crystal systems – triclinic, monoclinic, orthorhombic, tetragonal, trigonal, hexagonal, isometric – that corresponds to the given crystal form. Their colors and textures are interpretations of each crystal’s “habit” or attributes.
Because each crystal type can come in a range of colors and textures, we experimented with a variety of techniques to mimic these. For the metallic luster of zinkinite we used metal leafs, dry pigments, and rust. To capture the luminosity of boracite we layered sheets of translucent abaca. The density and color saturation of malachite and azurite required thick cotton with liquid dye poured directly onto it.
Collaborating with Lisa Switalski was a continual conversation and experimentation with how to translate the material processes of one chemical phenomenon (geology) into the creation of a new one (papermaking). Her encouragement and assistance with moving between experiment and accident gave new insight into my ongoing interest in engaging the artistic medium as a key conceptual determinant of each piece.
Like rocks, paper is a mixture of dry and aqueous solutions taking form through processes of compression and expansion to create outcomes that are both predictable and surprising. It is rare that I allow the process of physically making a work to direct its form. It was both a challenge and gift to have the opportunity to do so during my residency at Dieu Donné.
— Anna Craycroft, 2012
In the Studio
About the Artist
Anna Craycroft (b. 1975, Eugene, OR) has had solo shows at The New Museum in NYC, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art in Portland Oregon, The Ben Maltz Gallery at OTIS in Los Angeles, The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin Texas, Tracy Williams Ltd in NYC, Le Case del Arte in Milan Italy. She has had two-person exhibitions at Redcat Gallery in Los Angeles, Sandroni Rey in Los Angeles and the Fundacio Miro in Barcelona. Notable group exhibitions include The Artist’s Museum at the the ICA Boston in 2016, Champs Elysees at Palais de Tokyo Paris, France in 2013, and PS1’s Greater New York 2005. She has also received commissions for public sculpture from Art in General NYC, Socrates Sculpture Park NYC, Lower Manhattan Cultural Center NYC, and from Den Haag Sculptuur, the Hague Netherlands. (Source: Artist’s website).
For more information, please visit their website: https://annacraycroft.com/