Employees take art to work
by Jerome R. Stockfisch
Tampa Tribune
Maryann Crafton's subjects stare intensely, a trio of American Indian faces reflecting lifetimes of hardship.
"I like American heritage," Crafton said. "The portraits show, if you look at the faces, a lot of struggle. They indicate what Americans have gone through over the centuries
"What more could show it than the faces of our people?"
Her words come to life in pencil sketches adorning a wall at King Engineering Associates.
Crafton isn't an artist. Well, she is at home, when no one's around, at the kitchen table or in an easy chair. But during the work week, she's a CAD technician in surveying for the Tampa civil engineering firm.
Her art, and that of about 20 of her colleagues, is on display as part of a national campaign to recognize and celebrate the creativity of the regular people who show up for work every day.
It's called "art@work," and was launched by the Business Committee for the Arts, a New York nonprofit group that is attempting to bring together the left-brain and the right-brain worlds of business and the arts. The BCA has long encouraged companies to partner with groups such as symphonies and galleries. This year, it took the movement grass-roots.
King Engineering's chief financial officer, Jerry Baranowski, jumped at the chance to participate. His company has been a generous patron of the local arts; it backes the sculpture garden at Artists Unlimited in Tampa's Channelside district.
"A lot of people told us this was the first time they've had the opportunity to display their work," said Andrea Carroll, King's business manager.
Some participants, like Crafton, were reluctant. Her husband insisted she offer her portraits. Now, she doesn't regret it. "My art is very private to me," she said. "But a lot of people here in the office, I don't even know their names, and they've come up to me and siad, 'I really like your pencil sketches.'"
Rich Conklin, a designer at King, hadn't displayed his work since high school art class. "It's a private thing," he said. "But this is an opportunity to show off, really. I've got a lot of compliments. It was really cool. It realy builds morale, too."
King employees are displying everything from paintings to stained glass to sweaters and afghans they've knit. Doris Bowling, an administrative assistant, submitted pieces in cross-stitching, ink and photography.
"This gives you the opportunity to see what other people can do," she said. "I was really surprised at some of the names I saw up on the wall."
King Engineering invited Art Keeble, the executive director of the Killsborough Arts Council, to judge the exhibit. Winners got blue ribbons and gift certificates for events at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and dinner.
But there were no losers. All who participated got passes to the Tampa
Theater and gift certificates for arts supplies to encourage them to
continue expressing themselves in ways their colleagues now recognize
and appreciate.