Craig Cheply

Craig Cheply is both a commercial (Artist Environs LLC) and fine artist. His Contemporary Realism paintings are inspired by observations of the certain elements pertaining to the lighting, colors and textures of the Southwest environment and other travels. Craig's focus on southwestern skies, landscapes and flora captures his vision while also addressing social, political and environmental issues related to the dramatic population growth in the region and beyond. "As we go about our daily rituals, we obviously look at and see many things. Some events register in our memories while others do not. Of the "things" that register, have we done a close observational view or just take the visual information for granted? Some artists are content to work with one subject, group of colors, or time/lighting condition repetitiously, giving them an identifiable "look" desired by art galleries and museums for marketing purposes. I have always embraced the challenge to render the variety of subjects in various media, time/lighting conditions therefore allowing both myself and the viewer a greater scope and appreciation of the art journalism experience." Permanent solo mural and scenic work can be viewed at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, formally Mesa Southwest Museum. In 2003 he put on the largest documented solo museum exhibit (in scope and scale) of any kind in Az.'s history at the museum. "Dawn to Dawn-Past, Present, Possible Futures" utilized his 8 commissioned murals (now 10) and 27 Contemporary Realism Paintings for the theme of the exhibit. The murals  are  "American Lion",  "Desert Walk", "Dinosaur Mountain", "Triassic Forest", "Mosasaur", "Metoposaur",  "Kenyata", "Tropical Deciduous Forest", "Hands on Discovery  Center", Mesa Grande  Ruins, collaborative work in the "Paleoseas" Diorama. He was one of two muralists chosen out of 35 Az. applicants to work with the New York City based Evergreen Painting Studios team to paint 10,000 square feet of murals on the west side entrance in the Bank One Ballpark in 1998 now known as Chase One Field. Educated at F.I.T. (A.A.S.) and Pratt Institute in New York, he received his B.F.A. in Interior Design from Arizona State University in 1980. He has done set design, scenic and special effect painting for the theatrical, motion picture and television industries (member of I.A.T.S.E. local 485). His paintings have been exhibited widely across the U.S. with inclusion into national and international shows in New York jurored by the late Robert Rosenblum (Guggenheim Museum), Tina Kukielski (Whitney Museum), and Charlotta Kotik (Brooklyn Museum). He continues to create his visual journalistic Contemporary Realism fine art, custom murals, trompe l'oeil, faux effects for the institutional, commercial and residential environments along with having self published limited edition prints of some of his original paintings available for purchase. Studio visit by appointment only. Craig's art in Permanent Collections: Private, Arizona Museum of Natural History, -10 murals + fine art, Burton Barr Central Library-Phoenix, Az., City of Glendale, Az. City of Chandler, Az. 2007 Az. Governor's Arts Awards Nominee.  Please just Google Craig Cheply for more worldly info. and feedback... Thank you for your time reading this, enjoy the visuals.