SheilaCrider/Portfolio

Work samples

Untitled

acrylic, unprimed canvas, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
9.5" x 10" and 9.5" x 11"
2025
Vortex

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag papers

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Color + Form = Blackstraction

exhibition title/tee shirt design

Available for Purchase

this spring!
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)

About Sheila

"The nucleus of my practice is objects based on materials and process that I create around social and/or aesthetic ideas. Sometimes this results in narrative installations; other times, consideration of a component’s relationship with similar objects and the environment is required. Philosophically and socially, I make work questioning what “art” and “fine art” are and who gets to decide."

Sheila Crider is an independent intuitive artist with work in many public… more

View Sheila's Resume

Putting the Word Out: Blackstraction (2000-Present)

A social art project to add blackstraction to the fine art lexicon by promoting its usage through staged readings, guerilla interventions, exhibitions and documentation

What is Blackstraction?

description of the term blackstraction and its origin
blackstraction the word in context.pdf

definition, origins and historic context of the term
Putting the Word Out: Blackstraction

digital story of Blackstraction 2000 - 2010 produced as part of a collaboration between American University and the Anacostia Community Museum
Blackstraction at 20

studio lecture
Color + Form = Blackstraction Artists' Talk

panel discussion lead by Zoma Wallace with Claudia Aziza Gibson-Hunter, Adjoa Burrowes, Gail Shaw-Clemons and Sheila Crider presented by Terence Nicholson at Honfleur Gallery September 17, 2022
Tee Shirt

tee shirt produced in 2022, scheduled for reprinting this spring

Available for Purchase

coming this spring!

Public Offering: Eradicate Cultural Sharecropping (2016 - Present)

"Eradicate Culltural Sharecropping" grew out of "Initial Public Offering ," a 2016 crowd-funding campaign advocating for general public support of individual artists' practice through subscription or one time donation. Iterations have included open studio events, participation in community art sales as well as stickers and tee shirts

Gate Keeping in the 21st Century

essay
Public Artists

essay about how the practice of art has evolved
You Can Be

video taped outside American Art Museum encouraging people from all walks of life to collect art
Recognition

ad from #BeOneOfThe1,000 crowd-funding campaign
Pyramid Atlantic Artist Talk

Staged reading with audience quiz re: art and fine art
Open Studio 2025

open studio 2025 invitation
BromoArtWalk August 2023

works in progress
Open Studio 2023

Open Studio signage 2023
SuperFine Art Fair, WDC 2022

mixed media drawings
tee shirt ad 2019

tee shirt ad

white-on-white

studio exercise: pouring white acrylic on a variety of surfaces & embedding torn bits of drawings... How does how the substrate respond? How does the paint create shape? Volume? How do the torn bits randomly add texture, color, narrative and composition in relief ?

Untitled

acrylic, recycled paper, gessoed art boards
8" x 8" each
2026

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Untitled

acylic, graphite, coloring pencil, recycled and rag papers
10" x 10" and 10" x 9.5"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Vortex

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag papers
30" x 19.75"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Ellipse 1

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag papers
28" x 19.5"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Ellipse 2

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag paper
27" x 21"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Untitled

acrylic, recycled paper, purchased stretched canvases
8" x 10" each panel
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Ellipse 3

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag papers
28" x 19.5"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Untitled

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag papers
22" x 30"
2026

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Untitled

acrylic, graphite, recycled and rag papers
22" x 30"
2026

Available for Purchase

provided upon request

WayFinding

Way Finding is an installation of recent works that seek to expand the language of abstraction through contrasting painted materials. The exhibition is a response to unanticipated events we experience and are powerless to change.

Exhibition at I & A Hillyer (WDC) May 2025

Looking Out (Early Morning 2), Swinging from the Rafters, Ghost of Democracy

Available for Purchase

provided on request
Hillyer Exhibition

Ghost of Democracy, Untitled, Lost in Cyberspace

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Hillyer Exhibition

Lost in Cyberspace, Ghosts of Gaza, Caught UP in the Loop, Looking Out (Early Morning 3)

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Hillyer Exhibition

Passe(Par)Tout, Looking Out (Early Morning 1)
Passe(Par)Tout

acrylic, unprimed canvas, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
19" x 16"
2025
private collection
Swinging from the Rafters

acrylic, unprimed canvas, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
19" x 21"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Untitled

acrylic, unprimed canvas, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
9.5" x 10" and 9.5" x 11"
2025
private collection
Caught UP in the Loop

acrylic, unprimed canvas, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
42" x 31" x 6"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Ghost of Democracy

acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord
60" x 41"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Ghosts of Gaza

acrylic, unprimed canvas, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
75" x 52"
2025

Available for Purchase

provided upon request

Relief

“Relief” is inspired by two previous series. “Intersectional Painting” (executed between 2017 and 2021) used quilt batting as a substrate to reference community while “Ghosts Stories” (executed in 2021 and 2022) depicted other worldly spiritual experiences. This series employs remnants and techniques from one series and the subject matter of the other. Exploring three dimensionality using applique and weaving, it speaks of solitude, acceptance and resolution through faith and awareness of what is and what will be. "Reliel" was exhibited at New Door Creative Gallery March/April 2024.

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

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, nylon backing

38.5" x 37.5"

2023
Skirting the Issue 1

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
19.5" x 19.5"
2023
privae collection
Skirting the Issue 2

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
19.5" x 19.25"
2023
private collection
CrossRoads

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

12.75" x 12,75" each panel
Lone Traveler

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing
32.5" x 18.5"
2023
private collection
Single File

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

30.5" x 21.5"

2023
Aimless

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread, vinyl cord, nylon backing
30.5" x 18.5"
2023
private collection
came; collaged

recycled paper, burlap, screen printing ink, rag paper
12.25" x 11" and 11" x 11"
2024
private collections

BromoArtsDistrict/Le Mondo (First Baltimore Studio 12/22 - 06/24)

Relocating from DC to Baltimore, I found a temporary studio in the Bromo Arts District at Le Mondo. I spent my time there working on things that l had bought over unfinished. I began with a large format collage with recycled paper and burlap which I cut into smaller panels and poured paint to create the image... I settled in with several drawing exercises and finished with another large paper work, "Under. Water."

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

acrylic, burlap, Japanese paper, coloring pencil

8.5" x 7.5" each panel

2023

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Testing the Water

acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

8.5" x 8" each panel

2023
Slipping into Darkness

acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

8.5" x 8" each panel

2023
Washing up on the Beach

acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

8.5 x 8" each panel

2023
Icarus Flying

acrylic, burlap, recycled paper, cotton thread

8.5" x 8" each panel

2023
Dream Vacation

acrylic, graphite, oil stick, tracing and rag papers
9 panels 11" x 7.5" each
2023

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Hellhound on My Trail

acrylic, graphite, coloring pencil, tracing and rag papers
12" x 15"
2023

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
5.jpg

acrylic, graphite, black and white charcoal, coloring pencil, rag and tracing papers
6 panels 11" x 7.5" (not shown: 8 panels 22" x 15" each)
2024

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
1_7.jpg

acrylic, sand, linoleum scraps, vinyl cord, ph neutral drawing paper, cotton thread, gromets
72" x 48"
2014 - 2024

Available for Purchase

provided upon request

Ghosts' Stories

“Ghosts Stories” a series using randomly applied color and mark making to suggest narratives around physical and metaphysical encounters that stay with us haunting or benevolent. All installation dimensions are variable.

Ghost of Democracy

acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord, brass ring,

40" x 63"

2025
Haunting Refrain

acrylic, unprimed canvas
38" x 70"
2021

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Haunting Refrain (Installation view, Honfleur Gallery)

acrylic, unprimed canvas
2021

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Shape Shifter

acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord
33" x 71"
2022

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Close Encounter

acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord
36" x 71"
2022

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
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)

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Astral Planing

acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

34.5" x 70"

2022

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Spirits Blowing Smoke

acrylic, unprimed canvas, vinyl cord

34.5" x 70"

2022

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Dreaming 1 - 16

Acrylic, graphite, India ink, wax, vellum, eyelets
Variable dimensions
2022

Available for Purchase

provided upon request

Intersectional Painting

“Intersectional Painting” is a series executed between 2017 and 2021 using quilt batting as a substrate to reference community through weaving and stitching.

Untitled

acrylic, vinyl cord, polyester quilt batting
33.5" x 44"
2018
private collection
Untitled

acrylic, vinyl cord, cotton thread, polyester quilt batting, nylon backing
60" x 84"
2019
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank Purchase 2020
SummerSpring

acrylic, vinyl cord, cotton thread, polyester quilt batting, nylon backing
56" x 80"
2019

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Large Format Grid Construction

acrylic, cotton thread, apanese paper, polyester quilt batting
variable dimensions
2019
(private collections)
Just Before Dawn

acrylic, cotton thread, polyester quilt batting
37" x 24" x 1"
2019
(private collection)
Climbing Up the Rough Side

acrylic, cotton thread, polyester quilt batting
28" x 38" x 3"
2019

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Belly of a Champion

acrylic, cotton thread, vinyl cord, polyester and polyester/cotton quilt batting
32" x 44" x 5"
2019

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Frolicking

acrylic, cotton thread, cotton/polyester quilt batting
45" x 33" x 12"
2020

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Non-Containment/Community Spread

acrylic, cotton thread, vinyl cord, polyester quilt batting
22" x 20" x 7"
2020

Available for Purchase

provided upon request
Securing the Bag

acrylic, cotton/polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
18" x 29" x 8.5"
2020
private collection

Installations

site specific installations

Trees

acrylic, graphite, coloring pencil, black and white charcoal, recycled presentation board
18 panels 29" x 13" each (installation dimensions variable)
2026
scheduled for exhibition Fall, 2026 UMGC, Adelphi, MD
Almost Human

silk screen with graphite, oil stick, vinyl cord and acrylic on cotton quilt batting
12 panels 15.5" x 15" each
2018
Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Hyattsville, MD 2018
The Toxic Air We Unknowingly Breathe

lint pulp and remade handmade recycled paper, acrylic, cotton thread
30 Panels, various dimensions
2016
Installation, DC Arts Center, WDC 2016
Industrial Smog

lint pulp paper, bamboo, vinyl cord, tar paper, vinyl coated pine rods
20 panels, variable dimensions (installation: 50" x 72")
2016
Installation, DC Arts Center, WDC
The Black Army/Small Soldiers

graphite, acrylic, recycled papers
20 elements, variable dimensions
2015
Installation, African-American Museum, PG County 2017
Apartment Living

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, cotton thread
Installation, African American Museum PG County, 2017
The Sign In Sheets

acrylic, recycled paper
48" x 108"
2012
part of "came; Enlightened" window installation for Lumen8 Anacostia, WDC 2012
Wind and the Mighty Mississippi

acrylic, graphite, oil stick, Japanese & recycled papers on watercolor paper and board
50" x 112"
2011
Installation, George Mason University, Arlington, VA 2012
The Emperor's New Clothes

mixed media on ph neutral drawing paper
various dimensions
2011
Installation, George Mason University, Arlington, VA 2012
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Rust

discarded kiln bricks, found metal objects
400 linear feet (area: 480" x 720")
2011
Temporary Installation, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, Cazenovia, NY

Commissions

Commissioned Public Art

Elizabeth's Mural

acrylic, Japanese paper, archival art boards, oak
84" x 396" (14 panels)
2009
Commission through DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities for St Elizabeths' Hospital
AirBorne

painted aluminum
114" x 120" x 60"
2014
Commissioned by Community of Hope for the Conway Center for Health and Resources, WDC
Ocean View

acrylic, Japanese paper, archival boards
30" x 150" and 30" x 90"
2015
Commissioned for Concord Apartment Building, Crystal City VA
Here to Here

painted aluminum
24 elements
78" x 132" x 12,000"
2014
Commissioned by Ofc for Planning and Economic Development and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for St Elizabeth East.
Wishing on Stars

painted aluminum
7 elements ranging in size from 48" x 46" x 27" to 113" x 112" x 80"
2014/2019 (relocation to Ft Stanton Community Garden installation area: 12,000" x 480")
((temporary installation St Elizabeth East: 1,308" x 768" 2nd photo)
Commissioned by Ofc for Planning and Economic Development and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for St Elizabeth East.
big isl.jpg

acrylic, polyester quilt batting, vinyl cord, cotton thread, nylon backing
56" x 80"
2019
Commissioned by DC Public Library for the Capitol View Branch Children's Room
Untitled

5 silkscreen monotypes
2019
INOVA Schar Cancer Institute acquisition
The Commons Lobby Art

Design for 3 panels for reproduction commissioned for The Commons Lobby by Comunity of Hope, WDC 2019