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Craig Paul Nowak
BFA
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Craig Paul Nowak received his BFA in fine arts from The
College for Creative Studies (Detroit, MI) in 2006, whereafter he immediately
received representation from Nextstep Studio and Gallery (Ferndale, MI),
literally selling out in his first group show with the gallery (27 paintings). Nextstep took Nowak’s work to SOFA Chicago months later where Nowak sold all but one painting.
Some of his Solo shows include “Who Am I?” at Macomb Street Gallery
(Grosse Ile, MI), Larger Than Life at The Matrix Gallery (Ann Arbor, MI), and
Craigstravaganza at Motor City Brewing Works (Detroit, MI). His work
has also been included in galleries on both American coasts (New York and
California), as well as internationally in Berlin. Nowak’s upcoming solo
shows include New Work at Nextstep Studio, Up Close and Personal at The
Core (Portland, OR), and features in various other group shows.
Nowak has received multiple awards for his achievements including, the
Outstanding Artist Award from Brighton Community Ed., an Award of
Distinction from Kaleidoscope (Brighton, MI), and the Artcraft Artist of The
Month award from The College For Creative Studies. He has also had work
published in SlowArt Magazine (2007), The Detroit News, and The Metrotimes.
Artist’s statement:
My current body of work involves the use of a self portrait as the means to discuss relationships between the physical and spiritual selves.
The physical self can be defined as somebody’s facial
features, body structures, uniforms, gestures, and/or voices, while the
spiritual self can be thought of as somebody’s thoughts, emotions,
memories, personalities, and histories. Since I am only able to investigate and
therefore, understand the activities of my own spiritual self, my focus
has become a subjective one. In other words, I make art that is about
myself as I see myself.
I use the self-portrait to translate aspects of the spiritual self
(i.e. thoughts, emotions, memories, personalities, and histories) into a
visual element of the physical self. The self-portrait serves as an identity,
while the additional element of writing in portraiture, multiple portraits,
visible/invisible material, physical distortion, varying colors or placement,
serves to expose the transparency of the two selves as a single entity where
both the physical and spiritual are visible as one.
I'm interested in the self/self relationship because I don't fully understand it.
www.craigpaulnowak.blogspot.com
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