Craig Butterworth, “Butter” is a mixed media artist, abstract painter, poet, teacher, tennis coach, and backyard lizard wrangler. He believes that all objects have an intrinsic spirit, a voice, and he tries to release that spirit with each composition. From a small letter made out of dried, leftover paint to a larger abstract portrait made from carefully deconstructed musical instruments, mantle clocks, or tennis rackets, his art is always about unlocking the potential in each form.

Craig started his art journey teaching tech theatre and building sets for high school plays. This led to art classes and 21 years of teaching art at Elsik High School, collaborating with teachers and students to build art cars and dozens of large paintings which still decorate the halls today.

His work is a mixture of his obsession with finding flea market and record store treasures and his desperate need to create colorful art never seen before. His art reflects his loving, comical, nostalgic and sometimes complicated views of nature and the human experience.

When Craig is not nourishing his inner child by making art, you might find him digging through antique stores, playing pickleball and tennis, biking, driving across America, or hiking in a national park.