Artist

Eva Crawford

Artist bio

Individual personalities with their subtle nuances are Eva Crawford’s focus as she paints or draws beautiful vessels of the human soul. Her art began at age three and hurdled its way through a BFA from UNC-Chapel Hill, taking a side trip designing furniture, then embracing an unexpected season teaching high school art where her greatest joy was coaching students to be confident and honest through their artmaking. However, the students and her own 5 children, which include a son from Uganda, taught Eva to reevaluate her own beliefs and values which transformed her art to be about humans and their stories. Her portraits are grounded in relationships with those we love, with those we feel compassion, and with those whom we do not yet understand. Eva’s desire is to give visual voice to fellow humans using portraiture to foster ultimate healing in a society and world where we do not take the time to see, listen and hear one another.Her work stretches beyond the human form to the spiritual, sometimes manifesting itself in unexpected depictions of birds, chairs or collage illustrated poetry. Kintsugi ushers in even more ways to express her desire to see closely the overlooked or discarded. The mending process is life-giving and is easily taught. No matter what her hands make using brushes, scissors, or glue, at the heart of it all is story. Listen with your eyes.

Title

Transient & Eternal

Artist Statement

"Transient & Eternal" is part of my S E E N series which showcases vulnerable or overlooked souls due to mental illness, disability or skin color. There are many issues that cause someone to feel less than, and my desire is to spotlight the beauty and value of these precious ones. I hope this series is a catalyst for conversations and awareness of the isolation and loneliness caused by mental illness, physical disabilities and ethnicity.

This collage and acrylic painting is of my son on the Oregon shore. I layered text and images on the wood substrate first as a prayer for him as he battles depression. The gold leaf wings reflect the ever-present Holy Spirit.

"...As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:18‬

How it fits into contest

The theme of putting on the whole armor of God is one of invisible protection against spiritual attack such as the arrows of mental illness and cruelty. As an artist, I desire to make visible God's truths to offer hope and encouragement to those suffering, and to educate those who are blind to reality.
This painting shows my son on a hill armed with a backpack of "armor", and the wings are my prayers for the covering of the Holy Spirit - "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication."

Credits

Eva Crawford

How to Purchase this Artwork

Type of work: a mass produced copy
Purchase price: $50

Submit Your Artwork Today!

Curious? Interested in submitting artwork to our contest? Know someone who might be? Through April 14th, 2022, the Engage Art Contest is open to the whole world! Get your foot in the door by claiming your Artist Page now!