Adam Cross
United States
Biography:
Adam is a contemporary figurative artist dedicated to creating relevant, Christ-inspired art. Born and raised in Morgantown, WV, he began his serious training in 2004 at West Virginia University under master painter, Naijun Zhang. In 2006, he studied with Naijun in China in the ancient Chinese Landscape and Thangka painting methods.
From 2008-2012, he and his wife ran an arts cafe, Serenity Cafe, in Fairmont, West Virginia, while he continued to make work and take commissions in his spare time. In 2012, the couple moved to New York City where Adam received his MFA in 2014 from the New York Academy of Art. During the summer of 2013, Adam was awarded a residency to study in Giverny, France, through the Terra Foundation of American Art Europe, where he focused on direct landscape painting at Monet’s house and garden.
He is currently an Instructor at the New York Academy of Art teaching intro to advance courses in painting and drawing, adjunct painting and drawing professor at Caldwell University and at Berkeley College teaching drawing.
Adam’s works have been exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions including Sotheby’s “Take Home a Nude” event, the Bleecker Street arts club , RH gallery, and Flowers Gallery in New York City. He has also exhibited his works in Giverny, France; at Nanjing University of Art in Nanjing, China, and recently at the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan. His work is in numerous public and private collections including the Seavest, and Brooke Shields collection and on permeant public display at the Clearing House’s Headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. His artwork has been published in The Wild Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine and featured in the book, The Figure: Painting, Drawing, and Sculpture (Skira Rizzoli, 2014)
Artist statement:
The great masters of the past often attempted to bring glory to God through the practiced use of their hearts, hands and minds. Many of the masterworks that survive, illuminate the word and depict the teachings of Jesus and the Bible in the most skillful and sincere manner. Today the most worthy of subjects is seldom explored, and if done so sincerely is considered literal, derivative, decorative kitsch.
As a young man I too decided to devote my life to using my talent to bring glory to God and to make sincere, images that point back to the central message of the Bible and of Jesus - Love. In my works I strive to create contemporary, relevant Christ inspired art and have taken on the challenge of putting Kitsch-less Christian art work back into the culture.
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 14th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.
