Forest for the Trees

Maysey Craddock grew up in Memphis well aware of the Mississippi River’s importance to her region, and then she headed to college in New Orleans, where the river is culturally pervasive. The river itself, the buildings on its banks and flood plains, the trees and topographical landmarks figure prominently in her work. Some of the images are distinct, some fading, some abstract, some are merely impressions or memories of nature. For Craddock, the world is ephemeral.



From a recent review in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Fredric Koeppel wrote: “Craddock tells us that what is natural is not always pleasant, and that nature’s courses may be hideously destructive, or reach “the sublime” where beauty, awe and terror are equally mixed.”



In her drawings Craddock uses gouache on paper bags that have been laid flat and stitched together to provide a surface of age and texture. The gouache allows Craddock to layer images like scrims, or veils. In her wire sculptures she often combines recognizable images with found objects, adding weight and heft to the pliable wire. In her video work Craddock brings focus to a seemingly inconspicuous or unimportant site.



Born and raised in Memphis, Craddock holds a BFA from Tulane University and MFA from Maine College of Art. In the past three years she’s had solo exhibitions in Chelsea-NY, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, Memphis, Stuttgart and Munich.