Work by Kim Cridler and Tamara English highlights the symbolic, spiritual, and psychological power of nature
Archer Gallery is excited to present Nature Patterns by Kim Cridler and Tamara English. The work in this exhibit highlights the symbolic, spiritual, and psychological power of nature.
The forms used in these oil paintings and metal sculptures speak to, and are inspired by, nature’s awe-inspiring beauty. In a time where climate change is at the forefront of public and political discourse, this exhibit presents an alternative, parallel relationship with the environment and how we navigate internally in the midst of challenging times.
Please join us for the opening reception and artist talk. See dates below. All events are free and open to the public.
Exhibit title: Nature Patterns
What: Twelve oil paintings by local artist, Tamara English, and three, large-scale metal sculptures by Michigan-based artist, Kim Cridler.
Artists: Kim Cridler and Tamara English
Exhibit dates: January 6 through March 24, 2025
- Viewing hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Opening reception: Thursday, January 16, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Artist Talk, Tamara English: Thursday, January 30th, 10-11 a.m. https://clark-edu.zoom.us/j/89227798779
- Artist Talk, Kim Cridler: Thursday, January 30th, 1-2 p.m. https://clark-edu.zoom.us/j/81197837608
- Closing Reception: Saturday, March 22nd, noon – 2pm
On the Web: Archer Gallery (clark.edu)
Exhibition Statement
This exhibit brings attention to natural patterns shared by both plants and humans. For instance, the veins of a branch resemble the blood vessels of an arm, the leaf of a plant mimics the curves of a hip, and the stems of a flower meanders like hair.
In other words, we are nature and nature is us, we need nature and nature needs us. This idea has a rich history with scientists like Rachel Carson, naturalists like Henry David Thoreau, and poets like Mary Oliver and Robert Frost.
Kim Cridler’s work highlights the importance of physical materials, and how the ideal of beauty in nature and craft are important. Tamara English presents the inner life symbolized by a garden, where one may cultivate well being and upliftment.
While Tamara English and Kim Cridler live hundreds of miles apart and each have unique art practices, they share a reverence for and visual vocabulary of the natural world. Their work also points to the potential for change as a central part of the human experience.
Ultimately, this show humanizes our connection to the environment, sows the seeds of wonder, and, hopefully, encourages viewers to appreciate our natural world more.
About the Artists
Kim Cridler
Artist’s Statement: My practice is inspired by the patterns of nature and the way objects can record and extend our lives. My work, based on familiar forms like trees and vessels, argues for the pleasure found in beauty, and the power of material and form. Using a process that is accumulative and direct, joining small parts together into a larger body, I work to create a sense of movement within still objects. Within this structured movement there resides the potential for change. These works serve as a reminder of our own place in the natural world; no matter how carefully we construct and manage our daily experiences, life will not leave us alone or untouched by change.
Biography: Trained as a metalsmith, Kim was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, earned an MFA in Metals from the State University of New York at New Paltz, and studied at Skowhegan School of Sculpture and Painting. Kim has taught in art programs across the country including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Michigan, San Diego State University, Arizona State University, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the Penland School of Crafts. Her work can be found in the public collections including the Arkansas Art Center Decorative Museum of Art, the Chazen Art Museum, the collection of the Grand Valley State University, the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, the collection of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NYC, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Racine Art Museum, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, the Scottsdale Contemporary Museum of Art, and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Kim’s studio practice focuses on the fabrication of sculptural forms in metal with materials evocative of the natural world. She has also applied her use of steel, structure, and ornament in large-scale public art projects and commissions for public spaces. Public works include a sculptural installation for the MTA Arts-For-Transit program at the Mamaroneck, NY Metro North Station and works in the Londoner Hotel Macao, China. Her work was featured in a Master Metalsmith retrospective exhibition through 2022 at the Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. You can find her on Instagram @kimcridler.
Tamara English
Tamara English is an award-winning American artist whose work explores themes of re-enchantment and the buoyancy that arises through awakening to divine presence. Her oil paintings reveal the inner worlds as vibrant healthy landscapes, exploring how the inner aspects of our beings are like gardens that may be cultivated when one is spiritually engaged. Her work also explores the different levels of awareness beyond the physical. Most wisdom traditions speak about the existence of these different levels which include the subtle and causal realms. These realms are where our beliefs, perceptions and inquiry and understanding of what has sacred meaning to us are found. English blends imaginary elements with elements found in the physical world to create an atmosphere that expands our perception of reality. Her work reveals the vastness and beauty of an inner life in which one is connected to their divine ideal, beyond any specific tradition or belief system. Each painting may be considered a portal to discover the magical, mystical and alchemical in everyday life, well-being and upliftment, and that all is imbued with Spirit.
Tamara English’s work has been exhibited throughout the US and internationally including at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the New York Armory, the US Embassy in Riga, Latvia and the Seattle Art Museum. She holds a BFA in painting from Pacific Northwest College of Art. Her work has been written about in PORT, Pacific Dissent Magazine, Hyperallergic and Oakland Art Enthusiast. She has been awarded grants and projects from the Regional Art and Culture Council in Portland, Oregon and the Ford Family Foundation. She has been awarded a Golden Spot artist residency at Playa Summerlake in Oregon. Her paintings have appeared in the television series “Portlandia,” and in the documentary “Art: PDX” about Portland artists. Her work is widely collected and represented in many collections, including the collections of Lock Haven University, the City of Portland Portable Works, Columbia Sportswear, and a former U.S. president. English lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
About the Archer Gallery and Clark Art Talks
Archer Gallery serves the students and community of Clark College by exhibiting contemporary art in a not-for-profit educational setting. Archer Gallery exhibits work by nationally and internationally renowned artists and connects the Clark College community with accessible and diverse perspectives from the contemporary art world. Learn more about the Archer Gallery.
Clark Art Talks serves the students and community of Clark College by hosting a monthly art lecture series. Distinguished artists and art scholars from around the country share their experiences related to their art practices and provide unique insights into their varied career paths and artistic techniques.
