About

Jay Crider

Maybe it’s the Montanan in me, but my art is like a wild last frontier in which you never know what kind of trouble is around the next corner. While my medium of choice is acrylic, I am not married to one style or series; my curiosity runs too far for that. I find inspiration everywhere, and am intrigued by even the ordinary.

One of my biggest inspirations is my community. I like to create engaging pieces that people can interact with or that at least make them do a doubletake. You could call me a bit of a trickster. I like to have people thinking, “Is that real?” and see their wonder and amusement when they realize it’s a painting. In a world of technology and scrolling, I think that creating this engagement is even more important.

While I knew as early as kindergarten that I wanted to be an artist, I wasn’t always successful at it. It wasn’t until I quit my full-time job and dedicated myself to art that I truly began to find my stride. It gave me the freedom to create and to develop my technique. I work out my ideas in sketchbooks and have found that stream of conciseness without judgement yields the best results.

This becomes apparent when you look at my art. It is an eclectic collection with everything from detailed landscapes to caricatures to a 50-foot painted monarch caterpillar. Why? Because I love following my imagination. And each time I paint something, even as mundane as a Tootsie Roll wrapper, I learn a little bit more. I am always asked where my ideas come from, and the truth is, I don’t want to know. The mystery and intrigue motivate me to continue creating.