Contact:	  Stephanie	  Sun,	  Marketing	  Manager	  ssun@contemporarycraft.org	  412.261.7003	  x29	  www.contemporarycraft.org	  FOR	  IMMEDIATE	  RELEASE	  	  Local	  Artist	
  Ryder	  Henry	  building	  model	  landscape	
  inspired	
  by	  changing	  Pittsburgh	  Contemporary	  Craft’s	  Artist	  Residency	  Program	  shares	  the	  hidden	  process	  of	  art	  making	  	  PITTSBURGH,	
  PA	  –	  June	  29,	  2017	  –	  The	  Artist	  Residency	  program	  at	  Contemporary	  Craft	  (CC)	  has	  long	  been	  an	  accessible	
  entry	  point	  for	  the	  public	  to	  see	  artists	  in	  action:	  carving,	  creating,	  and	  enjoying	
  the	  process	  of	  an	  evolving	  artwork	  or	  installation.	
  Visitors	
  can	  observe	  artists’	  creative	  processes	  and	  start	  a	  dialogue	  with	
  them	  around	  their	  inspirations,	  concepts,	  and	  techniques.	  This	  summer,	  the	  organization	  invites	
  local	
  artist	
  Ryder	  Henry	
  to	  continue	
  building	  an	  architectural	  model	  landscape	
  inspired	  by	  the	  changing	  city	  of	  Pittsburgh;	  it	  will	  be	  a	  futuristic	  landscape	  reflecting	
  the	  hustle,	  bustle,	
  and	  history	  of	  Pittsburgh’s	  historic	  neighborhoods	  combined	  with	  ideas	
  of	
  fantasy	  and	
  outer	  space.	  	  	  

A	  Pittsburgh-­‐based	
  sculptor	
  and	  painter,	
  Ryder	  Henry	  creates	  models	  and	
  paintings	  of	  cities	  that	  reference	  real	  places.	  Combining	
  fantasy,	  sci-­‐fi	  motifs	  and	  futuristic	  buildings	  with	  contemporary	  urban	  architecture,	  Henry’s	  model	  incorporates	  the	  appearance	  of	  old	  brick	  juxtaposed	  with	  new	  composite	  surfaces,	  richly	  textured	  with	  set-­‐backs,	  bump-­‐outs,	  green	  spaces,	  pools,	  and	  balconies.	  
His	  works	
  are	  science	  fiction	  futurescapes	  with	
  an	  oblique,	  generalized	  affinity	  with	  reality.	
  	  	  

“The	  summer	  residency	  program	  is	  more	  than	
  a	  residency	
  program	  for	  artists,”	  says	  CC’s	  Executive	  Director,	  Janet	
  McCall.	
  “It	  is	  a	  program	  that	  encourages	
  all	  artists	  to	  step	  out	  of	  their	  studio	
  and	  connect	  with	  the	  community.	
  The	
  artists	  can	
  share	  their	  creative	  experience	
  and	  stories	
  directly	  and	  genuinely	  with	  our	  visitors,	  many	  of	  whom	  didn’t	  have	  the	  opportunity	  to	  talk	  with	  artists.”	
  The	  summer	  residency	  program	
  fulfills	  one	  of	  CC’s	
  core	  values	  of	  using	  the	  art	  to	  build	  community,	  as	  a	  significant	  part	  of	  the	  artist-­‐in-­‐residence’s	  experience	  will	  be	  interacting	  with	
  the	  diverse	  visitors	  that	
  pass	  through	  the	  doors	  of	  this	  free-­‐of-­‐charge	  arts	  organization.	  	
  	  	  Ryder	  Henry	  will	  be	  in	  CC’s	  work	  space	  in	  the	  gallery	  and	
  available	
  to	  interact	  with	  the	  public	  Tuesday	  through	  Saturday,	  10:00	
  AM	
  –	  3:30	
  PM	
  beginning	
  on	  Saturday,	  July	  1,	  2017	  and	  running	  through	  October	  14,	  2017.	  The	  public	  is	  encouraged	  to	  visit	  often	  to	  watch	  Henry’s	  project	  expand	  throughout	  the	  summer	  months.	  Henry’s	  miniature	  model	  landscapes	  will	
  be	  available	  for	  sale	  in	  the	  CC	  Store	  throughout	  his	
  2017	  summer	  artist	  residency	  program.	
  	  	  -­‐	   m ore	   -­‐ 	  ContemporaryCraft’s Artist-in-Residence: Ryder Henry, 2
	  ADDITIONAL	  INFORMATION	  Ryder	  Henry’s	  Summer	  Artist	  Residency	  will	
  occur	  during	  two	  main	  exhibitions	  at	  CC.	  	  Oaths	  and	  Epithets:	  Works	  by	  Sonya	  Clark	
  is	  a	  solo	  show	  including	  works	  by	  internationally	  recognized	  African-­‐American	  artist,	
  Sonya	
  Clark,	  that	  have	  never	  been	  publicly	  exhibited;	  her	  work	  explores	  self	
  identity	  and	  social	  perceptions	  through	  commonplace	
  objects	  and	
  centuries-­‐old	  handcraft	  traditions.	  The	  exhibition	
  is	
  exhibited	  at	  CC’s	
  main	  gallery	  and	  open	  to	  the	  public	  through	
  August	  19,	  2017.	  	
  	  Shelter:	  Crafting	  a	  Safe	
  Home	  is	  a	  socially	
  engaged	  art	  experience	  that	  focuses	  public	
  attention	  on	  the	  pressing	  issue	  of	  human	  displacement	  happening	
  globally	
  and	  locally.	  Featuring	  more	  than	  40	  works	  in	  diverse	
  craft	  media	  by	  14	  contemporary	  artists,	  Shelter	  explores	  increasing	  public	  concerns	  about	  housing	  insecurity	  and	  displacement,	  and	  how	  the	  arts	  can	  encourage	  positive	  self-­‐
expression	  and	  to	  guide	  thoughtful	  conversations	  about	
  safe	  housing	  as	  a	  basic	
  human	  right.	  The	  exhibition	  will	  be	  opening	  at	  CC’s	
  main	  gallery	  on	
  September	  8,	  2017	  through	
  February	  17,	  2018.	  	  	  ABOUT	  CONTEMPORARY	  CRAFT	  Presenting	  contemporary	  art	  in	  craft	  media	
  by	  regional,	  national,	  and	  international	  artists	
  since	  1971,	  CC	  offers	
  cutting	  edge	  exhibitions	
  focusing	  on	  multicultural	  diversity	  and	  non-­‐mainstream	  art,	  as	
  well	  as	  a	  range	  of	  studio	  workshops,	  community	  outreach	  programs,	  and	  a	  retail	  store.	
  Through	
  its	  mission	
  of	  engaging	  the	  public	
  in	  creative	  experiences	  through	  contemporary	  craft,	  CC	  offers	  meaningful	  art	  opportunities	
  for	  145,000	  people	  a	  year	  through	  four	
  core	  values:	  providing	  vital	
  support	
  for	  artists,	  filling	  critical	  gaps	  in	  public	  education;	  sharing	  cross	  cultural	  perspectives;	  and	  using	  art	  to	  build	  community.	  	
  	  CC	  is	  located	  at	  2100	  Smallman	  Street	  in	  the	  Strip	  District	  of	  Pittsburgh,	  PA.	  Hours	  are	  Monday	  through	  Saturday,	
  10	  AM	  to	  5	  PM.	  Exhibition	  and	  informal,	  hands-­‐on	  art	  activities	  in	  the	  Drop-­‐In	
  Studio	  are	
  always	  free	  to	  the	  public.	  Contemporary	  Craft	
  is	
  committed	  to	  making	  its	  exhibitions,	  programs,	
  and	  services	  accessible	  to	  the	
  public.	  For	  questions	  related	  to	  accessible	  accommodations,	  please	
  contact	  us.	  For	  more	  information,	  visit	  www.contemporarycraft.org	  or	  call	
  412.261.7003.	  	  #	  #	  #