Carol Lehrer Crawford is an artist practicing in Sydney, Australia. She creates sculptures in a variety of materials including alabaster, marble, soapstone, bronze and plaster. She works interpretively, and is recognised for her organic interlocking feminine forms.
Carol Lehrer Crawford was born in Sydney, Australia. From a very young age, she has been a day-dreamer and fascinated with objects and artistic pursuits. It was when she came in contact with Tom Bass early in the 2000’s, that the world of sculpture was opened up to her. Bass became her mentor and teacher. She studied in his studio school in Erskineville, alongside him and other practicing sculptors. Tom taught her to ‘see’ and find the essence of things, ‘keep things simple’ and ‘not make things up’. His words ring in her ears regularly as she is working on a piece.
Another significant influence in Carol’s life is her family and her unique family history. The importance of nurturing, stability and protection is what she attempts to convey in sculptural form. Working in various media – one of which is carving stone – Carol has developed a deep love of carving alabaster. She approaches working with stone as a meditation, and an exercise in allowing whatever is inside the stone reveal itself rather than imposing her ideas on the stone.
She works very slowly, most often with hand files, taking the time to put down her tools, take a step back, and let the stone tell her where it wants to go to next. It is a lesson in adaptability and simplicity (rubble and dust), touch and making ‘sense’. Knots and interlinked forms are another fascination for her, and the medium of wax allows her the flexibility of resolving any knotty issues.
Crawford has completed several public commissions including two portraits for the Cootamundra ‘The Captain’s Walk’ in country NSW, and has various works in corporate and private collections within Australia, Germany (Berlin), New Zealand and Denmark (Copenhagen).
She holds a BA from the University of New South Wales, and has also studied Fine Arts (theory) at Sydney University.
Private viewings at her Cooper Street studio (Surry Hills, Sydney) are available by appointment.
For all enquiries, please contact Carol at carolcrawfordsculpture@gmail.com.
CV available for download here.
