Whispered Memory
10 x 12 in.
Oil on canvas
$1300
Available at South Street Art Gallery, Easton MD
The compressed value patterns and limited palette in Valerie Craig’s painting, Whispered Memory, help convey a brooding mood and and sense of loneliness of an abandoned situated in a remote area of the Eastern Shore. The early sunrise enlivens the scene and helps to create a bit of quiet drama. While painting, Valerie imagined the many stories contained in this house, wondering what the home had witnessed and held on to in days gone by. The painting recently won Third Place in the People’s Choice Award during South Street Art Gallery’s Invitational Plein Air Exhibition.
Known for her atmospheric landscapes and gutsy brushwork, Valerie especially enjoys painting outside in all kinds of weather.
“Standing in the midst of a snowfall, dense fog, or early morning mist fires up my spirit and I am compelled to paint.” While Valerie’s subject matter varies from urban scenes to quiet woodland interiors, working directly from life is key. “To me it is all about light quality, strong shapes, and somehow conveying the essence and unique temperament of a scene.”
In 1998, Craig left her career in nursing administration to pursue her passion for painting on a full-time basis. Painting offers a unique opportunity to intimately interact with nature and humanity. “If my work can somehow evoke a response or inspire the viewer, I have been successful.”
Select Accomplishments:
In March, 2018, Valerie was awarded the Bold Brush Award and in 2017, she received the Artists’ Choice Award in Ireland’s Art in the Open. She won the Gold Prize in Ireland’s 2013 Art in the Open. In 2016, Valerie’s painting Whitewashed was awarded Second Prize in PleinAir Magazine’s annual Plein Air Salon.
Additional Honors:
Valerie has been invited to judge national and international painting competitions, including Ireland’s Art in the Open, Floyd Plein Air, Long Beach Island’s Plein Air Plus, Solomons Island Plein Air and Norfolk Plein Air. Valerie has had numerous solo exhibitions and enjoys teaching landscape painting workshops in the USA and in Ireland.
Recent Honors include:
Bold Brush Award, March 2018 in the Bold Brush Competition
Artists’ Choice Award, 2017 Ireland’s Art in the Open International Festival
Second Place, 2017 Plein Air Easton Small Painting Competition
Juror’s Award, 2017 and 2016 Wayne Plein Air Festival
Award of Distinction, American Impressionists’ Society 2014 National Show
Silver Prize, 2014 Ireland’s Art in the Open
Gold Prize, 2013 Ireland’s Art in the Open
Grand Prize, 2013 American Women Online Juried Competition
Best in Show, 2011 and 2008 Wayne Plein Air Competition
Second Place, 2011 Plein Air Easton
Artists’ Choice Award, 2010 Plein Air Easton
Visit Valerie’s website to view more work and connect with her Valerie on Facebook.
