ARTPRIZE - GRAND RAPIDS, MI
2012 – 50 Monroe, "Seahorse"
2013 – Harris Building, "Abandoned City Buzz"
2014 – The BOB, "Beauty in Brokenness"
2015 – Grand Rapids Public Museum, "Movement"
5th Place Time-Based Art
2016 – The Waters Building, "Strength in Numbers"
2017 – Grand Rapids Public Museum, "Safe House"
Top 25 Installation
2018 – The BOB, "Drifting"
Top 25 Time-Based Art
2021 – Grand Rapids Public Museum, "Adolescent Echo"
Top 25 Overall Finalist
2022 – Gerald R. Ford Federal Building US Courthouse, "Manufactured Meadow"
OTHER EXHIBITIONS AND GALLERY SHOWS
World of Winter 2023 (Grant Recipient); Sixth Street Park, Grand Rapids, MI. Jan 6 - March 5, 2023
Lions & Rabbits Rosebud Gallery; 1264 Plainfield NE, Grand Rapids, MI. Nov 1 - Dec 13, 2023
Founders Brewing Co, 235 Cesar E. Chavez Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Sept 10, 2022
Cause & Affect Gallery; 126 N. Leroy St, Fenton, MI 48430. July 9 - Sept 3, 2022
LowellArts; 223 W Main St, Lowell, MI 49331. July 8 - Aug 13, 2022
Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Competition; 2964 28th St SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. June 1 - June 30, 2022
William John Heule Memorial Award Recipient
Briggs Park - Permanent public installation - 324 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. June 2022
Krasl Art Center Biennial Sculpture Invitational; St Joseph, MI; May 21, 2022 - Summer
World of Winter 2022 (Grant Recipient); Grand Rapids, MI; Jan 7 - Mar 6, 2022
Outdoor Mural, 55 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Aug, 2021
Clio Center for the Arts - 3370 W Vienna Rd, Clio, Mi 48420. Nov 20, 2020
Swartz Creek Area Art Guild - G-8048 Miller Rd, Swartz Creek, Mi 48473. Nov 6, 2020
Cause & Affect Gallery - 126 N Leroy St, Fenton, Mi 48430. July 10 - Aug 8, 2020
The Yard - Columbus Circle, 33 West 60th Street, New York, NY, 10023. Feb 27-May 23, 2020
William H. Miller Studios & Fine Art, 714 Main St, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. April 3 - 15, 2020
The Depot Museum, 1 North Harbor Dr, Grand Haven, Mi 49417. Dec 5-7 2019
The Depot Museum, 1 North Harbor Dr, Grand Haven, Mi 49417. Sept 17-28 2019
All Art Works, in collaboration with Project 1. 37 Ottawa, Grand Rapids, Mi 49503. Sep 6-10, 2019
Odd Side Ales, 41 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, Mi 49417. June 1-30, 2019
We're Here! Apartment Lounge, 33 Sheldon Ave NE, Grand Rapids, Mi 49503. June 9, 2019
Art for Health, Brush Studio, 50 Louis St SW, Grand Rapids, Mi 49503, May 1, 2019
Art with an Impact, Light Studio, 317 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, Feb 1 - 29, 2019
BWYL, Galerie Richard, 121 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002. Nov 8, 2018
All Art Works, 41 Sheldon Blvd SE, Grand Rapids, Mi 49503. Sept 14, 2018
United States Embassy, Botswanna, Africa. May 2015 – May 2018
The Fed Galleries, Kendall College of Art and Design. 17 Pearl St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. May 30 - June 23, 2018.
Strathnairn Arts Gallery, 90 Stockdill Dr, Holt ACT 2615, Australia. April 5-29, 2018
Taymour Grahne Gallery (BWYL), 157 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013. Nov 16, 2017
Scarab Club Plein Air Exhibition, 217 Farnsworth, Detroit, Mi 48202. August 26-September 16, 2017.
Fenton Fine Art Exhibition, Fenton’s Open Book; 105 W Shiawassee Ave, Fenton, MI 48430; July 15th, 2017 and July 14th 2018
Avenue for the Arts Gallery Space; 307 South Division, Grand Rapids, Mi 49503; Aug 4-23, 2017
The Artshouse, April 1-19, 2017, 14 Rother St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6LU, United Kingdom
Lyles & King Gallery, 106 Forsythe Street, New York, NY 11211, February 13, 2017
Fall 2016 Collectors Show, Sept 21-Oct 9, 2016, The Harris Building, 111 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
"Tall Ships" at Studio 23, 901 North Water St, Bay City, Mi 48708, July 14-August 26, 2016
Fenton Fine Art Exhibition, Community & Cultural Center, 105 S Leroy St, Fenton, Mi 48430, July 8 - July 9, 2016
"Blooms, Bugs, and Beasts" at the Scarab Club, 217 Farnsworth St, Detroit, Mi 48202, May 18 - June 25, 2016
"Festival of Regional Arts Exhibition" at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, 2 West Fulton, Grand Rapids, Mi 49503, June 1 - June 26, 2016
Buckham Gallery - Flint, Mi, "ArtPrize 2014-2015 Revisited at Buckham Gallery”, February 12 – March 3, 2016
The Harris Building – Grand Rapids, Mi 2014
Michigan Institute of Contemporary Art - Lansing, Mi. April 2011
“Natural Impressions” – MCC Visual Arts & Design Center Gallery, Flint, Mi - Solar plate and reduction woodcut printmaking exhibition. June 16 – July 7, 2010
Greater Flint Arts Council Exhibition. Flint, Mi. May14 – June 4, 2010
“Figure Prints” – UCEN Fine Art Gallery. Flint, Mi. April 5 – April 18, 2010
“What’s New in 3D” – UCEN Fine Art Gallery – Flint, Mi January 8 – January 22, 2010
“What’s New in 2D” – UCEN Fine Art Gallery – Flint, Mi February 5 – February 19, 2010
“Dreamscapes” – UCEN Fine Art Gallery – Flint, Mi. December 7 – January 4, 2010
“Revisionists” - Buckham Gallery – Flint, Mi - June, 2009
Mott Community College Annual Juried Show – MCC Visual Arts & Design Center, Flint, Mi. 2005-2009
3D piece chosen for display in Chancellor's office at UM-Flint; 2010.
Printmaking piece on permanent display in Mott Community College; 2009.
Collaborative Mural (16’ x 16’) on display in the University Center of UM-Flint. Spring 2009
"Art at the Inn", Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn, People's Choice Award, March 2004
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
ArtPosts - Outdoor exhibit at five mini galleries around downtown Grand Rapids, MI. May 16, 2022
Art with an Impact, Light Studio, 317 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, Feb 1 - 29, 2019
Artist Statement
Exhibitions, Gallery Shows & EVENTS
Growing up in a secluded wooded environment, I learned early on in my life that all creatures play an important role. It is no surprise that these early encounters would be reflected in my artwork through large scale depictions of insects, frogs, and fish. I continued to expand on this idea by representing the relationships that are shared between man and the environment. I often use subjective colors and distortion of scale to present an ordinary object in a unique way. It is my goal to connect with the viewer and create a kind of internal disturbance so that they are no longer viewing the art, they are experiencing the art.
Artist Craig Merchant currently works and resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan in 2010. He primarily studied printmaking and drawing, however recent works include paintings, sculptures, and installations. Craig mainly exhibits in various galleries throughout the state of Michigan. In addition, he has displayed work in the United States Embassy in Botswana, Africa and at various galleries around the world.