View the Exhibition Catalog, designed by Peter Szarmach

 
The Art and Science of Margaret Craig: SAAL+M Artist of the Year
 
On September 22 from 3-5 pm, the San Antonio Art League + Museum will host the opening of their 2024 Artist of the Year Exhibition, Margaret Craig,
 
With art and science degrees, Craig has focused on art that speaks to the delicate nature of our eco-structures. "My work is rooted in the symbiotic eco-structure we all precariously live in and involves an elaborate, possibly excessive, process that (re)cycles the original post-consumer paper and plastic through several art forms and media, including acrylic, watercolor, printmaking, marbling, papermaking, and sculpture," noted Craig.
 
"My imagery is derived from nature, mimicking and abstracting the patterns nature creates. Recently, I’ve included a series of flat print papermaking and printmaking using advertising waste, like Mylar labels, leaving tiny pieces of trademarks and branding in my sculptures, calling to mind another layer of pollution," she added.
 
Trash is especially compelling to Craig. "My mother used to say, 'See a penny, pick it up – and all day long, you’ll have good luck,' So I have had my eyes to the ground ever since. I am a magpie, a treasure seeker, picking up whatever shiny or strange element I encounter on my daily walks. The sheer amount of material I have to work with is a sign that we must make fundamental changes to limit waste, despite nature’s miraculous response,” Craig explained.
 
An innovator in printmaking techniques, Craig invented Tar Gel Pressless Etching. Her art is included in many public and private collections including the Library of Congress. She is Professor Emeritus of Printmaking and Paper at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio.
 
The Artist of the Year exhibition will feature prints and sculptures from various aspects of Craig’s artistic career. The San Antonio Art League + Museum is in the heart of the King William Arts District at 130 King William Street, San Antonio, Texas  78204.
 
The exhibition runs through Nov 2. The hours are Tues–Sat, 10 am to 3 pm, and admission is FREE