Although born in Seattle, I spent my youth in the Midwest. I returned to the Northwest to obtain my MFA ─ specializing in painting at the University of Oregon. I returned briefly to Minnesota where I received the Governor’s award from the Minnesota Council for the Arts; this was the first monetary award given by the state to an individual visual artist. I then moved to Seattle where I continued to show large abstract paintings at the Foster/White Gallery and became the Chair of the Fine Arts Department, Cornish College of the Arts. During this time I received a Whitney Foundation Grant for a residency in painting at the Dartington College of the Arts, England. My paintings were published in Architectural Digest, Artweek (San Francisco), Minneapolis Tribune, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and The Weekly (Seattle). Some of these earlier paintings recently have been seen in exhibitions showcasing collections at the Tacoma Art Museum and Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner. I soon began to focus on more dimensional work fusing painting and sculpture. During this time I became the project director for the seminal Earthworks: Land Reclamation as Sculpture, sponsored by the King County Arts Commission, Seattle. The two main artists were Herbert Bayer and Robert Morris, both of whom were doing large scale works in the metropolitan area of Seattle. These land projects also involved major artists Dennis Oppenheim, Mary Miss, Beverly Pepper, and Richard Fleischner.
While in New York I became known for my sculpture which was featured in numerous one man exhibitions and group exhibitions across the country. My earlier paintings and sculpture are included in private and public collections on both the east and west coasts, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, and Winnipeg Art Gallery. Given my background in the Midwest, a major group of sculpture was acquired by the North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, in 2007 for their permanent collection.
Since 1989 I have worked in my studio on Lake Whatcom, Bellingham, and now Lynden. Throughout my career I have worked with diverse mediums and formats to express my ideas. In 2017 I renewed my interest in the painting format.
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
Craig Langager, Foster/White Gallery, Seattle, 1975
Craig Langager: New Paintings, Foster/White Gallery, Seattle, 1977
Craig Langager: Constructions, Foster/White Gallery, Seattle, 1979
Craig Langager, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, 1979
Craig Langager, Susan Caldwell, Inc., New York City, 1980
Craig Langager, Susan Caldwell, Inc., New York City, 1981
Critical Distance: Cloning for a New Society, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 1982
Craig Langager, Susan Caldwell, Inc., New York City, 1983
Craig Langager: Gargoyles and Memorials, Susan Caldwell, Inc., New York City, 1984
Craig Langager: Sculpture, Ruth Siegel Ltd., New York City, 1986
Craig Langager: `Survival Instinct' Sculpture and Drawings (alma mater exhibition), Talley Gallery, Bemidji State University, Minnesota, 1986
Craig Langager: Recent Work, William Traver Gallery, Seattle, 1991
75% Down and Falling: Where Have All the Song Birds Gone? Installation, Security Pacific Gallery, Seattle, 1991-1992
Craig Langager, North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, 2007-2008
Craig Langager Sculpture in the Museum’s Permanent Collection, North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, 2014
Three-Person Exhibitions
Dialogues. The Winnipeg Perspective 1984: Sherry Grauer, Craig Langager and John McEwen, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba, 1984
Realism – Three Perspectives: Jim Cogswell, Margaretta Gilboy and Craig Langager, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, 1987
Selected Group Exhibitions
New Talent, Foster/White Gallery, Seattle, 1973
Under 35, Portland Art Museum, Oregon, 1974
Foster/White Gallery, Seattle, 1974
Northwest Annual, Seattle Art Museum, 1974-1975
One Hundred Eighteen Gallery, Minneapolis, 1975
Peter M. David Gallery, Minneapolis, 1975
Foster/White Gallery, Seattle, 1976
Northwest '77, Seattle Art Museum, 1977
West Coast Prints, Impressions Workshop, Boston, 1977
Dartington College of the Arts, Dartington, England, 1977
Selected Works from the Faculty, Cornish Institute, Seattle, 1978; Museum, Univ. OR, Eugene
City Selects III, One Percent for Art, Seattle Arts Commission, Seattle, 1978
Eight Seattle Artists, Western Gallery, WesternWashington University, Bellingham, 1979
Wave Hill 1981: Tableaux, Wave Hill Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Bronx, New York, 1981
Menagerie, Goddard-Riverside Community Center, New York City, 1981
New New York, East Florida State University, Tallahassee, and Metropolitan Museum and Art Center, Coral Gables, Florida; traveled to Phoenix Art Museum, 1982-83
Painting and Sculpture Today, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana, 1982
36 Works, 18 Artists, 6 Galleries, 1 Alma Mater, Sarah Lawrence College Gallery, Bronxville, New York, 1982
Selected Gallery Artists, Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City, 1982
Collectors' Gallery XVI, Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, 1982
Selected Gallery Artists, Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City, 1983
Chicago Sculpture International Mile 2, Navy Pier, Chicago, 1983
Nocturne, Siegel Contemporary Art, New York City, 1983
Selected Gallery Artists, Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City, 1984
Menagerie: Animal Images by Contemporary Artists, San Francisco International Airport, 1985
Body & Soul, Aspects of Recent Figurative Sculpture, The Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, 1985; circulated by The Art Museum Association of America, San Francisco through June 1987
Painting and Sculpture Today 1986, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana, 1986
Square and . . ., Ruth Siegel Ltd., New York City, 1986
Ten Artists, Ruth Siegel Ltd. at The International Contemporary Art Fair, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, 1986
National/International, Ruth Siegel Ltd., New York City, 1987
2nd Annual Bal Masque Invitational, Seattle Art Museum, 1987
Introductions, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, 1987
Totems, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, 1988
Small and Stellar, Ruth Siegel Ltd., New York City, 1989
20th Anniversary of the Visiting Artist Program, CU Art Galleries, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1992 [April 1985 VAP]
DAM Centennial Celebration [Birthday Card Invitational], Denver Art Museum, 1992
5th International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition, University of Hawaii Art Gallery, Honolulu, 1994
Recent Northwest Acquisitions, Seattle Art Museum, 1996
Recent Acquisitions: The Blair and Lucy Kirk Collection, Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, 2005
On a Grand Scale: Paintings from the Permanent Collection, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, 2009
Critical Messages: Contemporary Northwest Artists on the Environment, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, and Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Salem, OR, 2010; traveled to Boise Art Museum, 2010-11
Wild/Life, Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, 2011
Creating the New Northwest. Selections from the Herb and Lucy Pruzan Collection, Tacoma Art Museum, 2013
Objectification (invitational), Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, 2017
Strange Birds (invitational), Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, 2019
Continuum…, Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, 2019
Bird’s Eye View (invitational), Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, 2020
Anatomy of a Collection. Recent Acquisitions and Promised Gifts, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, 2020-21
Birdland (invitational), Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, 2021
Awards/Grants/Commissions
Recipient, MN State Arts Grant, “Governor’s Award,” Minnesota Council for the Arts, 1975.
First monetary award given by the state of MN to an individual visual artist
Whitney Foundation Grant, Guest Artist, Dartington College of the Arts, Dartington, England, 1977
Commission, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Buffalo, 1982-83
Selected Bibliography
"Three Painters, Arts Council," Minneapolis Tribune, August 1975
Campbell, Richard. "Craig Langager and Nature's Colors," Seattle Post Intelligencer, February 23, 1975, section H6
Campbell, Richard. "Nebulous Fields of Color," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 11, 1977
Walsh, Mike. "The Seattle Scene," Artweek, February 11, 1978, p. 3
Kangas, Matthew. "Cornish Comes of Age," The Weekly (Seattle), May 4, 1978
Glowen, Ron. "Sculptural Subdivisions," Artweek, March 3, 1979, p. 15
Downey, Roger."Craig Langager: Constructions,” The Weekly (Seattle), March 7-13, 1979, p.25
Glowen, Ron. "Upstairs/Downstairs at Foster/White, "Argus Magazine (Seattle), March 9, 1979, pp. 7, 15
Kangas, Matthew. "Reviews: Seattle," Artforum, May 1979, p. 71
"Harmony in Seattle," Architectural Digest, December 1979, p. 124
Hackett, Regina. "Shining through the Jumble: A Sculptural Treasure Trove," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 13, 1980
Rickey, Carrie. "Insider/Outsider. The Two Art Worlds,” The Village Voice, Oct. 15-21, 1980, pp. 65, 67-69, 76, esp. 69
Yoskowitz, Robert. Gallery Review, Arts Magazine, November 1980, p. 30
Levin, Kim. Wave Hill 1981: Tableaux, catalogue essay for the exhibition including statement by the artist, 1981
Zimmer, William. "All the Works A Stage," The Soho Weekly News, June 10, 1981, p. 26
Caldwell, John. "Sculpture and Site Blend at Wave Hill," The New York Times, June 14, 1981, Westchester Edition
Larson, Kay. "At the Still Point," New York Magazine, June 29, 1981, pp. 52-53
Glueck, Grace, "An Outdoor-Sculpture Safari Around New York," The New York Times, August 7, 1981
Onorato, Ronald J. "Tableaux, Wave Hill,"Art Express, November/December, 1981, pp.62-63
Silverhorne, Jeanne. "Tableaux, Wave Hill," Artforum, November 1981, pp. 85-86
Pincus-Witten, Robert. "Diary Entries: Style Shucks," Arts Magazine, October 1981, pp. 96-97
"Craig Langager," Appearances, Nos.5/6, 1981, pp. 36, 39, 99
Yoskowitz, Robert. Gallery Review, Arts Magazine, February 1982, p. 36
Nemser, Cindy. Gallery Review, Art News, March 1982, p. 212
Levin, Kim. "Craig Langager. `Critical Distance ‒ Cloning for a New Society,'" catalogue essay for Issues: New Allegory II. Craig Langager, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 1982
Stewart, Albert. New New York, catalogue with essay, University Fine Art Galleries, Florida State University, Tallahassee, and Metropolitan Museum and Art Center, Coral Gables, 1982
Rubenstein, Betty. "Fine Art Festival, FSU Exhibition Reveals Shift to Symbolism," Tallahassee Democrat, March 18, 1982, section C1-2
Taylor, Robert. "New ICA Exhibition is Incisive and Vivid!" Boston Sunday Globe, March 21, 1982, section B13
"Galleries," Review of ICA exhibition, The Christian Science Monitor, April 1, 1982, section B11
Kohen, Helen L. "New New York," The Miami Herald, July 25, 1982, section L
Ferrulli, Helen and Yassin, Robert. Painting and Sculpture Today, catalogue with essay, Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1982
Walls, Michael. 36 Works, 18 Artists, 6 Galleries, 1 Alma Mater, catalogue with essay, Sarah Lawrence College Gallery, Bronxville, New York, 1982
Glueck, Grace. "In the Arts: Critics' Choices," The New York Times, October 24, 1982, section G3
Caldwell, John. "Good Concept, Ingrown Results," The New York Times, October 24, 1982, Westchester Edition, p. 20
"Craig Langager," Appearances, No.8, 1982, p. 31
Raynor, Vivien. "New York is Gallery of Best by Living Artists: Soho: Downtown Space for Extremes," The New York Times, February 18, 1983, section C1 and C24
“Anne Gerber [Seattle] Interview, 1983, Feb. 24, Mar. 4, & Apr.21,” Oral History Interview for the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution conducted by Anne Focke, pp. 36, 39, http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/gerber83htm
Handy, Ellen. Gallery Review, Arts Magazine, April 1983, p. 37
Bannon, Anthony. "Review: Art. Looking down the tracks at subway art," Gusto (Buffalo), May 20, 1983
Rose, Barbara."Talking about… Art: Art underground,"Vogue Magazine, Sept. 1983, p. 397
Klein, Ellen Lee. "Nocturne," Arts Magazine, November 1983, p. 38
Madill, Shirley. Dialogues. The Winnipeg Perspective 1984: Sherry Grauer, Craig Langager and John McEwen, catalogue with essay, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba, 1984; 35 pp., esp. 3-4, 9-15
Madill, Shirley. "Dialogues. The Winnipeg Perspective 1984," The WAG Magazine, February 1984, pp. 4-7
McIlroy, Randal. "Animal artforms endeavor to plumb human emotions," Winnipeg Free Press, February 14, 1984
Anderson, Jeffrey. "Sculptors use animals as metaphors for man," Winnipeg Free Press, March 3, 1984, p. 23
Raynor, Vivien. "Art. Craig Langager," The New York Times, May 25, 1984, section C21
Mann, Kenny. "Monuments, Memorials and Gargoyles Show Changing Role in Modern Society," Sunstorm (Middle Island, New York), May 1984, pp. 12-13
Handy, Ellen. Gallery Review, Arts Magazine, September 1984, p. 32
Rogers-Lafferty, Sarah. Body & Soul. Aspects of Recent Figurative Sculpture, catalogue with essay, The Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, 1985
"Animal Fare," Alameda Co. Review (Hayward, California), August 16, 1985, illus.
"California Artists Now Exhibited at S. F. International Airport," San Francisco Business Journal, August 19, 1985
Anon. "Buffalo Metro Rail System Art; Happy Trails to View," Presentation. The Fine Art Journal of Upstate New York, Summer 1985, p. 21
“Craig Langager at Ruth Siegel, Ltd.,” Art/USA Gallery Guide, January 1986, p.13 with illus.
Brenson, Michael. "Craig Langager," The New York Times, January 10, 1986, section C22
Klein, Ellen Lee. Gallery Review, Arts Magazine, March 1986, p. 128
Henry, Gerrit. "Craig Langager at Ruth Siegel," Art in America, July 1986, p. 117 with color illus.
Kaul, Sandy. “Survival Instinct. Sculpture and Drawing,” Brochure, Talley Gallery, Bemidji State University, 1986
"Exhibit to Open at Talley Gallery," The Pioneer, (Bemidji, Minnesota), September 7, 1986
"Who," The Pioneer (Bemidji, Minnesota), October 12, 1986, illus. with Governor viewing exhibit
Art, Bemidji State Alumnus News, Fall 1986, p. 6
Chayat, Sherry. "Art to Watch Trains By," New York Alive, March/April 1987, pp. 32-37
Scully, Vince. "Robert A. M. Stern. New Spaces in an East Hampton Shingle-Style Cottage," Architectural Digest, Supplement Architecture, September 1987, pp. 26-31; illus. pp. 26, 28-29
Hackett, Regina. Review. “Twenty Years, 1970-1990 Prints” and Installation by Craig Langager, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 20, 1991, C15
The 5th International Sculpture Exhibition. University of Hawaii Art Gallery, Honolulu, 1994, catalogue, p. 69
“Sculpture on the Plains,” Arts and Entertainment, Grand Forks Herald, November 17, 2007
Maneker, Roberta and Gomez Edward, “Top 100 Treasures,” Art and Antiques, November 2008, #19, http://www.artandantiquesmag.com/Articles/Miscellaneous/FA-Top-1...
“Craig Langager,” About Drawing, http://aboutdrawing.org/artist/artwork
Clark-Langager, Sarah and Dietrich, William. Critical Messages: Contemporary Northwest Artists on the Environment. Western Gallery, Washington University (Bellingham, WA), catalogue, pp.11, 15, 54-55
Simmons, Bob. “Northwest artists wrestle with environmental threats,” Crosscut Public Media, May 11, 2010 (http://crosscut.com/2010/05/11/arts/19803)
Schnoor, Christopher. “Beauty and the Beast. Northwest Environmental Art at BAM,” Boise Weekly, February 8, 2011, pp. 10-11
Kepferle, Amy. “Wild/Life. When nature isn’t natural,” Cascade Weekly, January 6, 2011
McKeehan, Susan. “MONA show is striking, moving and fantastical,” La Conner Weekly, February 23, 2011, p. 8
Rock Hushka and Kangas, Matthew. Creating the New Northwest. Selections from Herb and Lucy Pruzan Collection. Tacoma Art Museum, 2013. Catalogue, p. 60, plate 44
“Best of WNY – Looking Good. Best Public Art (Indoors). Metro Rail Art,” Buffalo Spree, July 2019, p.7. Digital:www.buffalospree.com/Buffalo-Spree/July-2019/Best-of-WNY-2019-Looking-Good/; https://buffaloah.com/a/metro/utica/utica.html
Hunter, Stephen. “To Be Continued. Realism and Abstraction at MONA,” July 17, 2019. www.cascadeweekly.com/cw/currents/realism_and abstraaction_at_MONA
https://www.whatcommuseum.org/exhibition/anatomy, illus. and video, Who’s Afraid of Red, White and Blue. For video, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaNU6goJA04
Public Collections
Brooklyn Museum of Art, NY
Dartington College of the Arts, Dartington, England
Denver Art Museum
Lynden High School, Lynden, WA
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, WA
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Buffalo (commission)
North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon, Eugene
City of Seattle, Seattle Arts Commission
Seattle Art Museum
Tacoma Art Museum
UC Galleries, University of Colorado, Boulder
Whatcom Museum, Bellingham
The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba, Canada