Kristy Crawford
Kristy Crawford (she/her) is a Haida artist from the Eagle K'aawaas Clan of Kiusta, Haida Gwaii, B.C. Born and raised in Masset, she was exposed to art throughout her life in many different ways, and she has a passion for learning new things.
This lead her to the Freda Diesing School of Fine Arts in 2009, where she learned how to draw, paint, and carve northwest coast art under the instruction of Stan Bevan, Ken McNeil, and Dempsey Bob. Kristy completed her certificate in 2010, then took time off to raise her daughter. Later, she then completed her diploma in 2014.
She is now continuing her studies of Haida Art, learning from her mentor and husband James Crawford, whom she met in Art school. She currently resides in Victoria, B.C., working as a full time artist, raising her two children. She produces many different types of art including carving, painting, lino block printing, silk screen printing, photography, video production, knitting, and crocheting.
Fractured Light
11” x 17”
Copper wire, cedar, operculum, LED lights
$425.00
To purchase, contact the artist
"Little tiny bits of the light that she held into inside her heart. She kept it hidden and tried to hold on to the light she had left."
This piece is unlike anything else I’ve made. For this Colour in Theory exhibition I wanted to challenge myself, and this piece definitely did that. It is an optimistic piece of survival, surviving the harsh world we live in.
It's an anatomical heart created by cedar wrapped around copper wire, woven into the shape of the heart. The heart is sitting on top of the bentwood box lid, and the heart has LED lights inside of it.
Fractured Light | 11” x 17” | Copper wire, cedar, operculum, LED lights | $425.00
Hear Kristy’s Story
Each contributing Colour Theory artist created an original essay or story to accompany their visual artwork. You can listen to the audio or scroll down to read.
Imagine
Imagine for a second:
A little girl, eyes full of wonder and hope. The world was full of wonder and amazement. Each and every moment that passed was viewed with her adoring optimistic hope for everything in the world to turn out perfectly for everyone.
If she was growing up in this world,
would she be able to keep her hope?
Or would someone or something smash the light and leave her with only fragments of the light?
Slowly and repeatedly smash her light. So much that eventually there would be just the littlest bit left.
Little tiny bits of the light that she held onto inside her heart. She kept it hidden and tried to hold onto the light she had left.
As she ages, she realizes that it isn’t HER fault that she was treated differently because of the skin she was born in.
All the horrible comments and remarks that she had received in her life were not her fault.
Realizes that SHE isn’t the problem.
That being Haida, is NOT something to be ashamed of.
That her mere existence is a gift.
Her people have survived the genocide.
Her people survived.
Despite everything.
Haida people, her people. Survive.
Which means she can and will survive, despite all of the racism in the world.
Holding onto her light in her heart.
She will survive!