CRAIG PAUL NOWAK

Born 1983 in Farmington Hills, MI

Lives and Works in Farmington Hills, MI

Education

2024                Certificate, Incompass Michigan, Leadership Academy

2012                Residency, Red Bull House of Art, (Oct. - Dec.), Detroit, MI

2011-12           Apprenticeship, Somers Randolph, Sculptor (Sept. 2011-12), Santa Fe, NM

2008                Residency, Mano y Mente (Sept.- Nov.), Tularosa, NM

2008                Residency, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (April), Chicago, IL

2006                BFA, College for Creative Studies (Cum Laude), Detroit, MI

Professional Experience

2024-present     Commissioner,Farmington/Farmington Hills Arts Commission (volunteer), Farmington Hills, MI

2019-present     Creative Expressions Program Manager, Gesher Human Services, Southfield, MI

2018-19           Drawing Instructor, Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division, Farmington Hills, MI

2017-19           Teaching Artist, Community Arts Partnership, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

2011-12           Gallery Manager, Art Effect Gallery (1-year contract), Detroit, MI

2005-06           Gallery Manager, U245 Student Gallery, College for Creative Studies (1-year contract), Detroit, MI

2003-06           Gallery Assistant, Center Galleries, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

Solo Exhibitions

2017                Dream World, Henry Ford Academy, Taubman Center, Detroit, MI

2014                When Greg Shot Jimmy, Morpho Gallery, Chicago, IL

2011                6 Degrees, Cass Café, Detroit, MI

2008                Searching, MOKA Gallery, Chicago, IL

2007                Self, MOKA Gallery, Chicago, IL

2007                Self, Docks Art Fair, MOKA Gallery, Lyon, France

2007                Prized Possessions (Comic Books), The Core, Portland, OR

2006                Piece of Me: Senior Thesis Exhibition, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

2005                “Who Am I?”, Macomb Street Gallery, Grosse Ile, MI

Group Exhibitions

2024                2024 Michigan Fine Arts Competition (President's Award), Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Bloomfield Hills, MI

2018                Black Box Gallery, Dearborn, MI

2016                Detroit Biennale, Museum of New Art (MONA), Armada. MI

2016                Alumni Exhibition (Honorable Mention), Valade Family Gallery, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

2014                Gilda Selfies, Cass Café, Detroit, MI

2014                GILDED, Whitdel Arts, Detroit, MI

2013                ARTPRIZE, Devos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI

2012                Red Bull House of Art, Round III, Red Bull House of Art, Detroit, MI

2009                The Creator: Self Portraits, Brown and Juanita Ford Gallery, Wayne Community College District, Detroit, MI

2009                Faces, Gallery 321, Baltimore, MD

2008                Self In Places I, Mano y Mente Gallery, Tularosa, NM

2007                ArtNOW, MOKA Gallery, Miami, FL

2007                Art Santa Fe, MOKA Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2006                Anonymous Drawings 2, Bluetenweiss, Raum fuer Kunst, Berlin, Germany

2006                A Show of Heads, Limner Gallery, Hudson, NY

2006                Hip Hops Influence on Art, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI

2006                SOFA Chicago, Nextstep Studio and Gallery, The Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

2003                SoCal-ASOPA Portrait Exhibition, Laguna Hills Comm. Center, Laguna Hills, CA

2002                Celebration Of The Arts, Brighton Optimist Club, B.H.S, Brighton, MI

Curated Exhibitions

2022                Frame of Mind Arts Benefit, Gesher Human Services, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit, MI

2021                Frame of Mind Arts Benefit, Kadima, Michigan Opera Theatre, Detroit, MI

2016                RE:Semblance, Red Bull House of Art, Detroit, MI

2014                Gilda Selfies, Cass Café, Detroit, MI

2014                GILDED, Whitdel Arts, Detroit, MI

2011                AEG Artist Residency: Constant Flux, Art Effect Gallery, Detroit, MI

2011                The Welcoming Party, Art Effect Gallery, Detroit, MI

2006                Bring It / Make It, U245 Student Gallery, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

2006                Hip Hop’s Influence on Art, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI

2005                Break Somethin’: Breakin’ And Entering, Shangri La Media, Detroit, MI

Awards & Grants

2024                President's Award, 2024 Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center

2021                Employee of The Year Award, Kadima Mental Health Services

2014                Real Detroit ‘BEST OF’ 2014: Best Local Artist Award, Real Detroit Weekly

2002                Outstanding Artist Award, Brighton Community Education

Bibliography

Arte Al Dia, Spanish May/June 2007, p. 23 (Self Analysis Drawings)

Arte Al Limite, Spanish July-August 2007, p.82-85, Article: Your Life On Canvas, Critic: Fred Camper

Brighton Press & Argus August 25, 2004, p. 3C, Article: Art Student Holds Show to Help Pay Tuition, Writer: Kristin Lukowski 

Chicago Gallery News, April-June 2007, p. 3 (History I)

Complex.com, August 19, 2013, internet (Library), Article: Awesome Art Made from Books. Writer: Raka Sen

Detroit Free Press, September 26, 2013, p.20 PLAY, Review: Detroit Free Press Art Critic Mark Stryker Reviews ARTPRIZE, Critic: Mark Stryker, (Christina‘s World)

Detroit Free Press, p. …, January 30, 2016, Article: Face-casting Demo Teaches Art, Brings Together People, Reporter: Christina Hall, (Collect Faces)

Detroit News, September 8, 2011, p. 18M, Article: Painter Moves Beyond Surface. Writer: Michael Hodges, (Portrait of Gilda Snowden)

Direct Art Magazine, Fall-Winter 2007, p. 84 (I And I)

Huffington Post, February 25, 2014, internet, Interview: Craig Paul Nowak -- Best Local Artist. Writer: Colin Darke (multiple works)

Le Journal Des Arts, French September 2007, p. 2, Article: Figurative Painting Confirms Its Return on Scene, Critic: Philippe Piguet

Livingston Community News August 27, 2004, p.B3, Article: Brighton Artist’s Work At One Man Exhibition, Reporter: Stephanie Koehn

Lyon Plus, French, September p. 18, Article: Art: The New Dockers of the Sucriere, (I Will: 99 Self Improvements)

Meet the Artist, video, April 2016, Comcast Television, interview: Sabrina Nelson & Craig Nowack, Host: Jessica Care Moore (multiple works)

Metrotimes June 2007, p. …, Article: Heady Art, Critic: Glen Mannisto (“I’m Going To France”)

Modern Painters, July-August 2007, p. 24-25 (History II & III)

MyDetroitCable, Video, June 2010, Art In Eastern Market (Multiple works)

NY Arts, September-October 2007, p. 100 (History II & III)

Real Detroit Weekly, August 24, 2011, p. ..., Stage And Canvas. (Penny For Your Thoughts), Review. That Which Separates and Connects. Critic: Robert Del Valle

Real Detroit Weekly, February 19-25, 2014, The Best Of Detroit 2014 Issue, p. 69-70, Article. Best Local Artist Craig Paul Nowak, Writer: Amelia Kanan, (Multiple works)

WDET, Radio, March 2010, Interview with Rob St. Mary about Art Effect Gallery

Lectures & Presentations

2023                Gesher Human Services' Creative Expressions Program, Re:con, The Convention of New Beginnings, Traverse City, MI

2023                Living Well With Bipolar Disorder: Creative Expressions, University of Michigan, Southfield, MI

2016                Collect Faces, Alginate Face-Casting, Red Bull House of Art, Detroit, MI

2016                Plaster Sculpting and Mold-Making, Red Bull House of Art, Detroit, MI

2013                Christina’s World Adaptation: Concept and Process, ARTPRIZE, Devos Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI

2006                Emerging Artists in the Detroit Area/New Work, Brighton Art Guild, Brighton, MI