it takes a long time to stay here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig

Jordan Ann Craig (Northern Cheyenne) creates large-scale, geometric, abstract paintings that reward close, sustained attention. Her intricate designs draw inspiration from her chosen home, New Mexico’s Pojoaque Valley, as well as Northern Cheyenne and Cheyenne beadwork and quillwork, Pueblo pottery, and other traditional art forms. Created with controlled precision on the surface, the edges of her paintings remain intentionally unfinished, reflecting Craig’s exploration of the balance between structure and imperfection. 

The exhibition title, it takes a long time to stay here, is drawn from the poem “spinning air” by Northern Cheyenne poet m.s. RedCherries. For Craig, the line suggests how staying in place fosters deeper connections with people, cultures, and landscapes. As you move through the gallery, notice how your interpretation shifts with prolonged engagement, influenced by each painting’s title, composition, and relationship to other paintings.  

Related Events

• Collaborative Mural Workshop with Jordan Ann Craig
  Saturday, October 3 (10am–1pm) | FREE — for teens and college students
  This unique workshop provides the opportunity for teens and college students to collaborate with artist Jordan Ann Craig on a mural for display at the Museum. Students will explore shape, color, and layered mark-making as well as themes of shared identity, collective memory, and sense of place.
• Artist Talk: Jordan Ann Craig
  Sunday, October 4 (3–4:30pm) | FREE — all ages
  Join artist Jordan Ann Craig in conversation with Nicole Lampl, Curator of American Art, as they discuss the work featured in it takes a long time to stay here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig.

This exhibition was curated by The Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University.

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