Work samples

  • BioMatrix
    BioMatrix

    acrylic, burlap, Japanese paper

    45" x 45" (14" x 14" each panel)

    2023

    (2025 Art Bank Acquisition, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, WDC)

  • In The Upper Room
    In The Upper Room

    acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing

    41" x 50"

    2023

     

    (2024 Acquisition, U of Md Global Campus Collection, Adelphi, MD)

  • Ghost of Democracy
    Ghost of Democracy

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord, brass ring

    40" x 63"

    2025

  • Under.Water.
    Under.Water.

    acrylic, sand, linoleum strips, vinyl cord, cotton thread, ph neutral drawing paper

    47" x 83.5"

    2024

     

     

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About Sheila

Baltimore City  

Sheila Crider, currently based in Baltimore, Maryland, relocated from nearby Washington, D. C in November 2022. She started her visual art practice with The Original Response Handmade Envelopes and Books in art fairs and craft markets in the 1980s. In the mid-1990s, she began submitting to open calls to exhibit work made from her hand dyed papers and, in 2009, was awarded her first public art project. She has been artist-in-residence at the Banff Center, Leighton Studios, in Alberta,… more

View Sheila's Resume
Jump to a project:

Ghosts' Stories

Ghosts Stories is a an on-going series of double-sided non-static canvases using randomly applied color and mark-making to suggest narratives around physical and metaphysical encounters that stay with us haunting or benevolent.

My current work adds to this series. The new work is exploring how the justaposition of my base material- quilt batting and unprimed canvas- will manifest aesthetically and yield a legible narrative. All installation dimensions are variable.

  • Swinging from the Rafters
    Swinging from the Rafters

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord

    19" x 21"

    2025

  • PassePartout
    PassePartout

    acrylic, unprimed cotton canvas, quiltbatting, cotton thread

    19" x 16"

    2025

  • Ghost of Democracy
    Ghost of Democracy

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord, brass ring, 

    40" x 63"

    2025

  • Haunting Refrain
    Haunting Refrain

    acrylic, unprimed canvas

    38" x 70"

    2022

    (on view  thru 3/30/25 at Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bently Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860)

  • Shape Shifter
    Shape Shifter

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

    33" x 71"

    2022

     

    (on view  thru 3/30/25 at Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bently Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860)

  • Close Encounter
    Close Encounter

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

    36" x 71"

    2022

     

    (on view  thru 3/30/25 at Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bently Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860)

  • All Around Everywhere
    All Around Everywhere

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

    60" x 24"

    2022

     

    (on view  thru 3/30/25 at Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bently Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860)

  • Astral Planing
    Astral Planing

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

    34.5" x 70"

    2022

     

     

  • Spirits Blowing Smoke
    Spirits Blowing Smoke

    acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

    34.5" x 70"

    2022

    •

    • Relief

     Series of quilt batting works focusing on weaving and relief exhibited at New Door Creative Gallery 

    • In the Upper Room
      In the Upper Room

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing

      41" x 50"

      2023

       

      (2024 Acquisition, U of Md Global Campus, Adelphi, Md)

    • Riding the Train to Glory
      Riding the Train to Glory

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, nylon backing

      38.5" x 37.5"

      2023

    • Skirting the Issue 1
      Skirting the Issue 1

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread

      19.5" x 19.5"

      2023

    • Skirting the Issue 2
      Skirting the Issue 2

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread

      19.5" x 19.25"

      2023

    • CrossRoads
      CrossRoads

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, aluminum slats, nylon backing

      12.75" x 12,75" each panel

    • Lone Traveler
      Lone Traveler

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing

      32.5" x 18.5"

      2023

    • Single File
      Single File

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing

      30.5" x 21.5"

      2023

    • Aimless
      Aimless

      acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing

      30.5" x 18.5"

      2023

    •

    • Under. Water.

    completion of double sided paper panel as hanging sculpture

    • Under. Water.
      Under. Water.

      acrylic, linoleum strips, vinyl cord, ph neutral drawing paper, cotton thread, gromets

      47" x 83.5"

      2023

    • Under. Water.
      Under. Water.

      side one

    • Under. Water.
      Under. Water.

      side two

    • Under. Water.
      Under. Water.

      Bromo Tower Installation October - December 2024

    •

    • The Le Mondo Studio: Complete/Transformation

    Relocating from DC to Baltimore, I found a temporary studio in the Bromo Arts District at Le Mondo. I decided to spend my time there working on things that l had bought over unfinished. I began with a large format panel collage with recycled paper and burlap which I cut into smaller panels and poured paint to create the image...   

    • BioMatrix
      BioMatrix

      acrylic, burlap, Japanese paper

      14" x 14" each panel

      2023

       

      (2025 Art Bank Acquisition, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, WDC)

    • BioMatrix 2
      BioMatrix 2

      acrylic, burlap, Japanese paper, coloring pencil

      8.5" x 7.5" each panel

      2023

    • Testing the Water
      Testing the Water

      acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

      8.5" x 8" each panel

      2023

    • Slipping into Darkness
      Slipping into Darkness

      acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

      8.5" x 8" each panel

      2023

    • Washing up on the Beach
      Washing up on the Beach

      acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

      8.5 x 8" each panel

      2023

    • Icarus Flying
      Icarus Flying

      acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

      8.5" x 8" each panel

      2023

       

    •

    • The Le Mondo Studio: came;

    A poem by Samuel L. Johnson written for me to interpret, I transformed a series of screen prints left from a project in 2015 into two final interpretations of the poem:

    came;

    it

    is

    in

    us

    we

    am

    of

    it

    to. 

    • came; Baltimore
      came; Baltimore

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    • came; Baltimore 2
      came; Baltimore 2

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    • came; Baltimore 2
      came; Baltimore 2

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    • came; Baltimore 4
      came; Baltimore 4

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    • came; collaged
      came; collaged

      oil based monotype, burlap, Japanese paper, acrylic, cotton thread, rag board

      11.5" x 11.5"

      2024

    • came; collaged 2
      came; collaged 2

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    • came; collaged 3
      came; collaged 3

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    • came; collaged 4
      came; collaged 4

      hand embellished oil based monotype, oil stick, rag paper, cotton thread

      21" x 21"

      2024 

    •

    • Blackstraction

    I coined the term blackstraction in 2000. My goal is for it to become part of the fine art lexicon.

     

    blackstraction (blak-strak’ sh-n) n.
    1. the objectification of abstract painting 2. an emotive non-representational work of art stressing formal internal relationships using African/Asian/American art practices at times employing craft techniques and three-dimensional presentation. 
    blackstractionist n.  An artist engaging therein...                                  
    blackstraction (blak-strak’ sh-n) v. t.
    1. to make markings with color on diverse surfaces that relate to each other and their environment in two and three dimensions. 2. Painting using depth as part of the picture plane
    blackstractioned, blackstractioning
    Blackstractionism (blak-strak’sh-niz-m) n. Fine Arts
    1. a style of emotive non-representational painting appearing in the US in mid- to late 20th century sometimes employing craft techniques and three-dimensional presentation.
    2. theory and practice of three-dimensional painting
     

    • Blackstraction at 20

      studio lecture

    • Blackstraction in Context

      definition, origins and historic context of the term