HomeArtists — Grace McCraw

Photo by Andrew Kilgore

Meet the Artist

Grace McCraw

I manage my life so that I can have as much pleasure as possible. However, I get stressed-out trying to extend moments of joy—fearing I’ll never be able to experience them again. While joyful moments feel effortless, there is always so much planning paving the way for these feelings. Through my experience as a woman I have discovered time’s relationship with joy as it intersects with the topics of femininity, exploitation and traditional domestic practices. Often there is so much waste after a party that I question if it was even worth it.

I prefer using my hands to build rather than a power tool or machine. My motivation for creating with clay is the intense feeling I get from coercing the clay to behave. I love that clay can never feel a hundred percent controllable. There is an unruliness to it. I am trying to find pleasure in every aspect of being an artist. I catch myself wondering, “is it more important to make things that I like or things that are objectively good?”

Overindulgence can distract us from things we really care about, but joyless making is more absurd. I like to share little stories from my life in my work and use humor and joy-related icons to connect with the viewer. I don’t take myself too seriously and freely use juvenile imagery. I am drawn to bright kindergarten colors and their association with happiness. I don’t think life has to be this super-intense, black-and-white way of living; I very much like thinking about life in shades of grey with color as the bow on top that ties it all together.

Biography

Grace McCraw is an artist located in Fayetteville, currently pursuing a BFA at the University of Arkansas. Her ceramic work is primarily interested in exploring themes of pleasure in relation to women and traditional domestic practices. Her work has been shown in several local locations in the Northwest Arkansas region and also at NCECA.

Work

Blue Smiley Balloon No. 1

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 2

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 3

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 4

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 5

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 6

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Blue U Vase

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Cream U Vase

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Purple U Vase

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White U Vase

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Quilted Family

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Dancing Color

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W Pale Pink Vase

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Green Worm

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Smiley Balloon

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W Pale Blue Vase

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 1

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 2

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 3

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 4

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 5

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Blue Smiley Balloon No. 6

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Blue U Vase

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Cream U Vase

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Purple U Vase

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White U Vase

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Quilted Family

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Dancing Color

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W Pale Pink Vase

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Green Worm

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Smiley Balloon

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W Pale Blue Vase

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Features

Event

Drop 002 - Opening Day

Join us on March 3 for a first look and curator-led tour of Drop 002: Natural Beings, MIXD’s second exhibition. ...

Friday, March 3rd — 11:00-6:00pm

Free
Exhibition

Merging Spaces

MIXD Gallery’s inaugural exhibition, Merging Spaces, showcases a vivid assortment of artists working in the Ozark region.

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Event

Merging Spaces

MIXD presents its inaugural exhibition, Merging Spaces, including a sweep of 30 regional artists and artworks with the intent to expand the region’s art market and community.

Saturday, November 19th — 11:00am

Free

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Creative Direction by Anna E. Cottrell

Design by Blake Chamberlain Creative

Development by Andrew Brewer & Happy Design