ARTIST STATEMENT
My mission in life is to make visible the often invisible, good realities around us. Through tapestries, I highlight moments of beauty and hope that emerge in unexpected places—living details from daily life that are easily overlooked. It’s rare to find a stone wall without a small plant pushing through a crack, reaching for light and life. Dark, gray skies in winter can bring us the ethereal beauty of falling snow.
The series of tapestry stone walls was inspired by seeing sprouts poking through a split in a wall of rusted steel at a nearby park and by lyrics in Leonard Cohen’s song Anthem: “There is a crack in everything. That’s where the light comes in.” Often, those who see these tapestries later show me or tell me about a plant they would have never noticed, such as a plant sprout growing out of a sewer lid.
The rough texture of these stones is intended to elicit a wish to touch them, as do stone walls. Together, all the different stones create beauty and a background for hope. The plants are tiny but strong as they push through and out of the cracks to the light they need.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
As an artist returning to exhibiting after a significant hiatus, I bring decades of experience creating tapestries and textile-based wall pieces. My practice has been shaped by coursework at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Weaving School, as well as years of independent studio work. This re-entry into the art world marks a new chapter in my artistic journey. My focus is on sharing work that reflects the richness of accumulated practice.
© Carroll Cradock