When North Carolina artist Robyn Crawford began creating works for her upcoming exhibition at the Artists Collective | Spartanburg, “Sea Goddesses: Divas of the Deep,” she wanted viewers to explore connections “between humanity and the sea.”
Since the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27, the exhibition has taken on a much deeper meaning as she saw neighbors lose so much. Her own home was flooded, and she lost a body of work as floods washed away the gallery in which it was housed in Asheville.
“The destruction and loss of life in this region has been immeasurable,” says Crawford, who lives in Hendersonville. “People are still missing. My home flooded, and I had a body of work that was represented in a gallery in the River Arts District in Asheville. It was completely lost. Covered in toxic mud or washed down the river. This gallery also housed a classroom where I did quite a bit of my teaching. It has been devastating in so many ways.
“The irony of me working on a show of water deities when so much of my work and livelihood were just destroyed by water is not lost on me,” she adds. “I think water needs to be honored and respected now more than ever.”
Crawford’s mixed media wall hangings will be on exhibit Nov. 5 through 30 in Gallery II at the Artists Collective.
She will host an artist’s reception from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, during the Collective’s Holiday Artisan Market. She will be on hand to discuss her work. She also will have a special 8×10 matted print, “Shared Love,” for sale for $35. The original, produced for her two-person exhibit in February in Spartanburg, was destroyed in the Asheville gallery flood.
“I will use the proceeds to help rebuild my body of work as well as to rejoin the River Arts District Artists Association and stay a part of a community that needs to rebuild itself,” she says.
A second artist’s reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, as part of Spartanburg ArtWalk. The receptions and exhibition viewing are free and open to the public. The 20 pieces in the show will be offered for purchase with prices ranging from $20 to $2,200.
“By weaving together stories from various traditions, this exhibition celebrates both cultural diversity and shared human experiences,” says Crawford, gallery manager and vice president of the Art League of Henderson County. “The use of radiant, translucent materials highlights the mysticism, depth and ethereal beauty of these deities, offering an abstract interpretation of ancient legends.
“Through these artworks, I invite you to explore the connection between humanity and the sea and honor the timeless role of water goddesses as guardians of life, transformation and renewal,” she continues.
“The sea has long symbolized journeys – both physical and spiritual,” Crawford says. “From ancient sailors exploring unknown lands to modern metaphors of personal growth, the sea represents the journey to self-discovery, spiritual awakening and transformation. It invites us to venture beyond our comfort zones into new realms of understanding.
“This exhibit brings to life the powerful and enchanting sea goddesses from cultures around the world, symbolizing the universal reverence for water and its life-giving, transformative power,” she adds. “Each piece, crafted from crystals, glass, and resin, reflects the interplay of strength and fragility, capturing the fluidity and brilliance of the ocean.
“My energetic wall sculptures can bring a tranquil energy into any space.”
Crawford says her color palate for the pieces in the exhibition “is definitely a watery one. Blues, greens, golds, turquoise and silvers abound along with a lot of sparkle and reflection. Each work is accompanied by the background and story of each goddess and what stones and crystals highlight her in the piece.”
She explains that she is “fascinated by other cultures and loves learning about their rituals and beliefs. Visitors will hopefully learn something they didn’t know before and appreciate these multicultural stories as well. In many mythologies, the sea is linked to goddesses and feminine deities, symbolizing fertility, creation and nurturing forces. The sea gives and sustains life while also possessing untamed power. This connection evokes a sense of reverence for nature’s cyclical and generative forces, I hope others will feel that, too.”
For Crawford, the exhibition is “an ongoing exploration of creating goddesses in the abstract using mixed media. This particular series is the culmination of several months’ work. Each piece takes weeks to create layer by layer. I have several pieces in process at any given time.
“My work is often described as mesmerizing and tranquil,” she adds. “Some can feel the energy of the stones while others just get lost in the reflection and sparkle.”
Crawford, a native of Newbury, Massachusetts, says growing up on the coast of that state gave her an appreciation of the sea. “The beach has always been a magical, awesome place. When I started researching ‘Goddesses’ for an earlier solo show, I was drawn to the water deities,” she says. “I knew it was time to do the ‘deep dive’ and create a body of work around these sovereigns of the sea. The sea is ever-changing – calm one moment, tempestuous the next – just like life. Like waves, we face periods of calm and turbulence, and the sea can teach us resilience and adaptability.”
A mixed media artist who “is always exploring and playing with multiple mediums and developing techniques of my own,” Crawford says her current obsessions are a combination of acrylic, alcohol inks, resin, stones, crystals and other found objects. “My work celebrates the unique beauty of color and combines the shimmer and sparkle of crystals for an unforgettable visual experience. I strive to create pieces that evoke emotion, beauty and spirit. By promoting the joy of exploration, I hope my work will inspire the viewer to appreciate the color and luminescence of crystals and the elusive essence of the magic of light.”
Crawford studied at Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Art and Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. She has been a mixed media artist, photographer, teacher and creativity coach for over 30 years and has exhibited work throughout the Carolinas. She uses her own images, clay, acrylics, mosaic, handmade papers, hot glass, metal, resin, crystals and more to create intensely colorful pieces of work that “connects her to spirit,” she says.
“I am very excited to be given the opportunity to exhibit my work at the Artists Collective | Spartanburg,” Crawford says. “Being a member of the Collective is very much like being in a big family of artists. It is truly an organization of people helping and supporting each other’s artistic journeys in so many ways.”