About the Artist

Craig Wood is an American artist based in St. Petersburg, Florida and Woodstock, New York. Working exclusively in hand-built clay, he creates whimsical, otherworldly sculptures that invite viewers to see personality and emotion in unexpected forms. His work explores the human tendency to assign life and character to inanimate objects — a phenomenon that fascinates him and plays out vividly in the joyful reactions his pieces often elicit.

Wood’s artistic journey began with a focus on the two-dimensional possibilities of clay, using flat tile forms to express emotion, identity, and conceptual themes. This work culminated in a solo exhibition at the Woodstock Artists Association & Museum in 2010. A turning point came later, when he became a member artist at the Morean Center for Clay in St. Petersburg. Immersed in a community of makers working in dynamic sculptural forms, he was inspired to explore ceramics in three dimensions. That shift led to Under a Pink Sky: Life on Planet X, a solo exhibition that marked the emergence of his distinct sculptural voice and a deepening inquiry into hybridity, sentience, and the question: what makes something feel alive?

His process is intuitive and highly personal. Many of his sculptures arrive as fully formed visions — often sparked in the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness — and are realized through slab construction, hand-cut templates, and drape molds. Non-ceramic elements like nails, tacks, and hardware add a mechanical edge to forms that might otherwise feel organic or even creature-like.

Wood draws artistic inspiration from the subconscious explorations of Tschacbasov and the geometric interpretations of the human form by sculptor Archipenko — both of whom lived and worked in Woodstock during the 20th century. His love of science fiction, especially the original Star Trek series, also informs his imaginative approach to creating otherworldly yet relatable beings.

Wood is a member of the prestigious Artaxis network, an international community of artists selected by a jury of peers. His work has been published in 500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (Lark Books), a testament to his unique voice in contemporary ceramics.

Through his evolving sculptural language, Wood continues to create work that sparks delight, curiosity, and reflection — inviting viewers to find new meaning in unexpected places.