Crystal Hartman

CV (PDF)

BIO

Crystal Hartman (b. April 9, 1983, Durango Colorado, USA) grew up behind a jeweler’s bench at the mouth of a canyon in southwest Colorado. She began carving wax, cutting stones, and forming metal as a young child. After apprenticing with artist Stanton Englehart, she earned her BFA from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Recipient of a UROP grant for academic research on Femininity in Latin America, she cultivated a reverence for community and conversation. Hartman filmed professional and amateur skateboarding in Spain (2005-7), studied site specific craft in Thailand (2008), and founded/directed Durango Open Studio (2009-11, Durango, CO.) In 2011, the artist received the Merwin Altfeld Memorial Award for Storytelling in the Arts from the National Watercolor Association. Her artwork has exhibited at the CCCB, Barcelona Spain, the National Palace of Culture, Sofia Bulgaria, BMOCA, Boulder Colorado USA, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada CO, and the Denver International Airport, Denver CO, among others. Her work can be found globally in arts and literary publications, as album art through independent labels, and book covers from Oxford University Press, London, and A5 Publishing, Madrid. Crystal Hartman Art Jewelry, sculptural jewelry designs carved of sustainably-harvested beeswax ethically cast in fine metals, have been featured in Art Jewelry Magazine, and exhibited at locations such as the Lilstreet Art Gallery, Chicago IL, Kathleen Sommers, San Antonio TX, and through the Society of North American Goldsmiths. Hartman currently lives and works in Urbana Illinois and offers workshops on Light and Alternative Photographic Processes each spring through The Farms: an Allerton Folk School.

@CrystalHartmanArt

Current Memberships

ACC . American Craft Council

CLCU . Craft League of Champaign Urbana

SNAG . Society of North American Goldsmiths

JEWELRY MAKING PROCESS

Through the lost wax carving and casting process I create elegant, strong, earthy stand-alone pieces and stackable stories. From beginning design to completion, each piece may take several weeks to months to finish, and is always tested for comfort and wearability as well as quality and character.  

Consciously living in reciprocity with the earth and kindness are at the core of my values and practices, I am committed ever to listening, learning, growing, and expanding community.

I donate quarterly. Currently donating to Wilderness Workshop, Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots, and The Prairie Enthusiasts. Please be in touch if your organization would like to be considered for a donation.

MATERIALS

Carved primarily with local, sustainably-harvested beeswax.

Cast with reclaimed sterling silver, gold, and ancient bronze.

Sourced Stones are natural, post consumer, dead stock, conflict free and/ or mined and cut here in the USA.  Most of the turquoise that I work with has been cut by my father or brother in Durango Colorado. 

…

Custom pieces, yes! Many of my pieces are customizable and can be made to order in another size. Custom Designs begin at $500. If you are interested in a custom design, be in touch here: info@crystalhartman.com

ONLINE

Durango Silver Company . www.durangosilver.com

Hidden Gallery of Secret Art, Online Exhibition with Hidden Letters Film, hiddenlettersfilm.com

Instagram for brand new beauties… @CrystalHartmanArt

Studio & Gallery . www.anddurango.com

Crystal Hartman CV (PDF)

BIOGRAPHY

1983    Born in Durango Clorado

1998-01    Apprentice to Stanton Englehart, Durango CO

2005    BFA, Printmaking - University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder CO

2005-2018    Studio Durango Colorado

2009-2011    Founding Director at Durango Open Studios, Durango CO

2018-Current    Studio Urbana Illinois

2025    Founding Director at The Cohen, 136 Main St. Urbana IL

ART

CURRENT + UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

This is Where We Begin K. Ann Coddington, Phillip Kalantzis Cope, Crystal Hartman, K. Hieronymus W., The Cohen, Urbana Illinois, April - August 2025

Is this on? K. Hieronymus W. and Crystal Hartman, The Cohen, Urbana Illinois, 2025

Abracadabra, Crystal Hartman at the Blo, BloBack Gallery, Pueblo Colorado, Summer 2026

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2024 There Was Always The Forest, Studio &, Durango CO, November

2023 On a Sheet of Ice, a Flower, Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago IL, April-May

2017 The Bees, Illumin Arts, Durango, CO

2017 The Monkeys, The Recess Gallery at Studio &, Durango CO

2016 Canary, Studio Colfax, Denver CO

2015 Recurring Butterfly, Studio Colfax, Denver CO

2008 You are my Muse, Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, Pagosa Springs CO

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

Visions of Johanna, Invitational Exhibition by Tim Kapustka, Studio &, Durango, CO, May

15, Invitational Exhibition, Studio &, Durango, Colorado, March

Fiber February, Analogue Wine Library, Urbana IL, February

2024

The Gallery at M2, Boneyard Arts Festival, Champaign IL, April

Save Our Trees, Prairie Rivers Network Traveling Exhibition, Opening at the Boneyard Arts Festival, Champaign IL, April

RUST, Studio &, Durango CO, May

TRUTH, Blo Back Gallery, Pueblo CO, July

2023

Hidden Gallery of Secret Art, Online Exhibition with Hidden Letters Film, hiddenlettersfilm.com , August

Afterimage, Boneyard Arts Festival, 112 University, Champaign-Urbana IL, April

Bring on the Gems, Online Exhibition, Society of North American Goldsmiths, snagmetalsmiths.org , February-March

2022

TRUTH, Blo Back Gallery, Pueblo CO, July 1-29

Trigger, Studio &, Durango CO, May

Gallery 112, Boneyard Arts Festival, Champaign IL April

2021

Around the Block III, Artist of our Virtual Neighborhood, Juried Online Exhibition, Giertz Gallery at Parkland College, Champaign IL

Through, Studio &, Durango CO

Pandemics as Portal to Change, Krannert Art Museum, June-August, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, Virtual Exhibition, UCIMC.org

SUI GENERIS, Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

An Audience of Art, Studio & Gallery, Durango CO

2020

Poetic, Online Exhibition, Her Creative Collective, HerCreativeCollective.com

Artfully Created in Champaign County, Her Creative Collective, Mahomet IL

2019

Blurring the Line: Form, Function, and Design, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada CO

Small Works: XI, Webster Arts, Webster Groves, MO

The Bracelet, Yearly Invitational Exhibition (participating yearly 2013-2019) Kathleen Sommers, San Antonio, TX

Portfolio of a Year, Hopscotch, Champaign IL

The COLOR Show, Rogards, Champaign IL

Paper Trails, Forty Point One, Champaign IL

Place, Studio &, Durango CO

2018

All Souls, Yearly Exhibition and Celebration of Those Past -participating 2012-2018, Studio &, Durango CO

Creatures and Creations, Black Crow Gallery, Denver CO

2017

Reverie, Artists of Willowtail, at the Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

Action/Reaction, Invitational Installation and Exhibition, Studio &, Durango CO

2016

Double Trouble, Dan Groth and Crystal Hartman, Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

De Los Muetros, Outnumbered Gallery, Littleton CO

Boogeyman, Haas Brothers Gallery, Pagosa Springs CO

Beyond the Stone -Contemporary Jewelry Design from Colorado Metalsmiths, Denver International Airport, Denver CO

10x10, Invitational Auction and Fundraiser, Studio &, Durango CO, April

Under Pressure - The Art of the Hand Pulled Print, Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

2015

Human, Featured Artist, Pura Vida, Durango CO

Bound, Studio &, Durango CO

2014

TOP Jewels, International Jewelry Exhibition, Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

Earthly Delights -Metalsmiths Inspired by Nature, Lillstreet Art Gallery, Chicago IL

Extinct, Studio &, Durango CO, February-March

Her Amazing, Magnetic, Pulling Closer Machine, with The Panoply Project, Melangue, Telluride CO

2013

Year – A brief underview of the history of time, Studio &, Durango CO

2012

DYNAMO, Invitational Group Exhibition, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder CO 

Past Lives,  A Panoply Project Event, The Lost Dog, Durango CO

Recycled Art, Feat of Clay Gallery, Aztec NM

2011

I am a Scientist, The Panoply, Exhibition and Performance, The Rochester Hotel, Durango CO

Monsters Under My Bed or In My Head, Group Show, Studio &, Durango CO

2009

Single Speed World Championships, Ska Brewing World Headquarters, Durango CO

2008

National Watercolor Society 88th Annual Exhibition, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside CA

Deliciously Weird, A Guerilla Art Event with McCarson Jones, Durango CO

After Urban -Video Art and Architecture Event, Invitational Exhibition, Florean Museum, Baia Mare, Romania

2006

United BAC!06, Festival of Contemporary Art, Center for Contemporary Culture, Barcelona, Spain

Forms, Figures and Symbols, Shy Rabbit Gallery, Pagosa Springs CO

2005

Crossing Borders, Invitational Exhibition, Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas, Mexico City, Mexico

Or Best Offer, BFA SHOW, University of Colorado Art Museum, Boulder CO

4th Lessedra World Art Print Annual 2005, National Palace of Culture, Sofia Bulgaria and Lessedra Gallery, Lozenetz, Sofia Bulgaria

DESIGN WORK

2024 Road Songs and Dream Sequences, Album Art, Devin Frank, Tell ‘Em Tapes, Columbia MO

2023 Electric Church, Album Art, Primitive Lights, Urbana IL

2022 Lady Peche, Wine Label, Sleepy Creek Vineyards, Fairmount IL

2021 Hotel Intaglio, Album Art, The Falbonauts, Chicago IL

2019 Swarm, Cover Art “Asamblea” by Michael Hardy and Antoni Negri, Ediciones Akal, S.A., Madrid, España

2017 Swarm, Cover Art for Assembly by Michael Hardt and Antoni Negri, Oxford University Press, New York, NY

2016 The Impossibility of Being Understood by Another, Cover Art for Verde Que Te Quiero Verde: Poems After Federico Garcia Lorca, Open Country Press, Missoula MT 

2016 Swimming Pool, Cover Art for “Like A Teardrop and A Bullet” by Rachel Mindell, Dancing Girl Press, Chicago IL

2013 40 Years of CutBank, Cover Art, CutBank Literary Journal, Missoula MT

VIDEOGRAPHY

2020 Cafe, Sound and Text video, 3:19

2019 White Chocolate Milk, Puppet Show Short Film 8:05

2012 Mustache, Video Aphorism, study of masculinity, 0:44 Loop

2009 Winter Little Birds, with Roger Seliner, Stop Animation 7:15

2008 Divinity, Video Aphorism/Installation 5:05 Loop

2007 Lucky _____., Video Aphorism, 32:32

2006 Cut Me Loose, Videography for Null Skateboards, Boulder CO

2005 Such ingratitude after all the times I saved your life., Video Installation 5:00 Loop

INSTALLATIONS

2024 Kneeling on the Debris, a shrine, Boneyard Arts Festival, The Gallery at M2, Champaign-Urbana, IL

2018 Laughter, portrait drawing installation, Bohemia, Boneyard Arts Festival, Champaign-Urbana, IL

2017 Reaction/Action, invitational collaborative installation, Studio &, Durango CO

2017 Snakes and Snowflakes, Raider’s Ridge, Durango CO

2016 Community, community textile project, Yoga Durango, Durango CO

2015 Down the Rabbit Hole, invitational collaborative installation, Durango Arts Center, CO

2012 Iron Horse Classic, collaborative photo and video installation for the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the of the Iron Horse Classic Bicycle Race, The Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, Durango CO 

2011 Soldiers and Strings, collaboration with Jeff Madeen, The Art Library, Durango CO

2010 Words: Paper and Text, Raider’s Ridge, Durango CO

2009 a moment and silence, Eco-Installation, Move and Be Moved, Taos NM

2007 A Bird to an Artists Heart, Mural at Nimmanhaemin, Chiangmai, Thailand

2006 Such ingratitude after all the times I saved your life., Video Installation, Center for Contemporary Culture, Barcelona, Spain

2006 Connotations, paper installation, Shy Rabbit Contemporary Art, Pagosa Springs CO

2006 The Fly, drawing/paper installation, 25 Blai, Barcelona Spain

Events:

2023 August Featured Artist, DesMoines Arts Center, Des Moines, IA

2023 Exhibiting Artist, Untitled, Fundraiser for 40North, Orpheum Theatre, Champaign IL

2018-23 Exhibiting Artist, Boneyard Arts Festival, Champaign-Urbana IL

2022 I, Fundraiser for the University of Illinois, Champaign, Urbana IL

2021   Artist Talk, Around the Block III, Aritsts of our Virtual Neighborhood, Giertz Gallery at Parkland College, Champaign IL

2015-19   Exhibiting Artist, Carbondale Mountain Fair, Carbondale, CO

2019   Temporary Installation/Exhibiting Artist, Rock + Roll Art Market, Chicago, IL

2016   10x10, Invitational Auction and Fundraiser, Studio &, Durango CO

2017   Community Art Project Design and Guide, IAmMusic Festival Indie Music and Art Festival, Durango, CO

2014-17   Founding Member, The Panoply Project, Women’s Arts Collaborative

2014-15   Fashion Design, Telluride Aids Benefit, Invitational Runway Show, Sheridan Opera House, Telluride CO

2014   Fashion Design, Aspen Aids Benefit, Invitational Runway Show, Belly Up, Aspen CO

Teaching:

2017   Drawing -Choose Your Story Make Your Mark, Mancos Public Library, Mancos, CO

2016   Drawing -Material Studies, GOAL: Girls’ Opportunities through Arts and Leadership, Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

2016   Drawing -Mask Making, GOAL: Girls’ Opportunities through Arts and Leadership, Durango Arts Center, Durango CO

2010   Humanities and Contemporary Art History, Private Instructor, Chiang Mai Thailand

2010  ESL, Early Learning and Conversational Instructor, New Zealand Education Systems, Chiang Mai Thailand

SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS, RESIDENCIES

2023   Delight Flower Farm, Champaign IL

2018 + 2015   Willowtail Springs Nature Preserve and Education Center, Mancos CO

2014 Oxbow School of Art, Michigan

2014   DAC Artist Micro Grant, Durango Arts Center, Colorado

2013   Jumpstart Award, Colorado Creative Industries

2010   Small Steps Award, Colorado Council on the Arts

2008   Merwin Altfeld Memorial Award for Storytelling in the Arts, National Watercolor Society, California

2005   UROP Grant, “Femininity in Argentine Society”, University of Colorado

2005   Noerdliger Fine Arts Scholarship, University of Colorado

2005   Shirley Maxine Stroh Fine Arts Scholarship, University of Colorado

SELECTED ARTWORK IN PRINT

2021 Desert Flower and the Bees, Visual Art, Ponder Review, Volume 5, Issue 1, Mississippi University for Women, Columbus MS

2021 Collages of a Home, The Ndebele Art of House Painting, Issue 29, La Piccioletta Barca, lapicciolettabarca.com

2021 See for All, Beyond Words Magazine, Beyond Words Publishing House, Berlin Germany

2021 Lagoon, GHOUL Vol. 2, Brett Masse Works, https://brettmasseworks.com

2020 Honeysuckle Bees, Beyond Words Magazine, Beyond Words Publishing House, Berlin Germany 

2018 Woman, A5 Magazine, London UK 

2014 All Accounts and Mixture, visual response to Federico Garcia Lorca, CutBank Literary Journal, Missoula MT

2013 Gritty Silk, Collaboration with Rachel Mindell, Pitty Milk Press

2013 Darling Beastlettes, Visual Review of Darling Beastlettes by Gina Abelkop, (Apostrophe Books), CutBank Literary Journal, Missoula MT

2013 Apparition Wren, Visual Review of Apparition Wren by Maureen Alsop, (Main Street Rag Publishing Company), CutBank Literary Journal, Missoula MT

2011 The Poorest Florist, Writing and Illustration for The Fiction Project, in collection at Brooklyn Art Library, Brooklyn NY

CURRENT MEMBERSHIPS

CLCU - Craft League of Champaign Urbana, 2020-present

SNAG - Society of North American Goldsmiths, 2015-present

ACC - American Craft Council, 2021-present

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

2024-Present SNAG EPC- Society of North American Goldsmiths Exhibition Advisory Committee

2017-18 Arts Advisory Committee, Durango High School, Durango, CO

2015 Durango Autumn Arts Festival, Juror, Durango, CO

2012-14 Durango Arts Center, Board of Directors, Durango CO

2009-11 Durango Open Studios -Catalogued Studio Tour + Exhibition- Founding Director, Durango CO

CURRENT REPRESENTATION

Durango Colorado, Studio &, 1027 Main Ave.

Pueblo Colorado, Blo Back Gallery, 131 Spring St.

Chicago Illinois, Jackson Junge Gallery, 1389 N Milwaukee Ave.

Des Moines Iowa, Des Moines Arts Center, 4700 Grand Ave.

BOUTIQUES & JOAILLERIE

Colorado Springs CO, Revolution Jewelry Works, 5928 Stetson Hills Blvd #110

Silverton CO, K& C Traders -1152 Greene St.

Urbana IL, Bohemia 135 West Main St.

Whitefish MT, Going to the Sun Gallery-137 Central Ave