{ { Infobox artist
| name = Craig A. Kraft
| image =
| image_size = 285px
| caption = Portrait of Craig A. Kraft, 2007
| birth_name = Craig Allan Kraft
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Ames, IA
| nationality = American
| known_for = Sculpture, Neon
| training = American School of Neon in Minneapolis, MN
| movement =
| notable_works = Lightweb (2004), Silver Spring, MDUntitled [Arlington Arts Center] (2005), Arlington, VACrossroads (2006), Rockville, MDVivaceShaw Library, Washington, DC | patrons = | awards = }} Craig A. Kraft (born Craig Allan Kraft; born on December 7, 1949) is an American sculptor. Over the course of his career, Kraft has gained national recognition for his neon light works, establishing him as one of the leading neon sculptors of today. In his earlier works, such as Seated/Unseated Woman and Light Figure Fragment, Kraft rendered sculptures incorporating details in neon. Since 2000, the main focus of Kraft's art has been privately commissioned pieces, such as Connective Ascension, and monumental public art works, such as Lightweb in Downtown Silver Spring, MD, that are abstract pieces made from rolled aluminum and neon tubing.
Kraft's sculptures have been featured in over 120 exhibits throughout the United States, including fifteen solo exhibitions, fifteen public art installations, and in various international art exhibitions. He has twice been featured as an artist at the International Sculpture Conference and has been a member of the faculty of the Smithsonian Institution Studio Arts Program since 1992. His work has been published in over 25 books, magazine articles, and newspaper articles. His work can be found in the permanent collection of the Museum of Neon Art (MONA).
Craig Kraft is known for working from his firehouse studio in Washington DC. The firehouse, formerly Engine House No. 7, is a historic property in Washington that boasts having been home to the first all-black fire company in the District. He currently runs a studio out of Anacostia Washington D.C.
Artistic career
Early life and education/training
Craig Kraft was born on December 7, 1949 in Ames, IA. During college and graduate school, Kraft's interests laid primarily in the sciences. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Kraft received his B.S. in zoology in 1971, followed by an M.A. in Environmental Education and Science in 1974. It was not until two years after he finished his master's degree that Kraft began developing his skills as a visual artist. In 1976 Kraft moved to New Orleans, LA, and started to model, cast, and paint the figure in clay. Neon was not included as a medium in his works until 1983 when Kraft began attending classes at the newly opened American School of Neon in Minneapolis, MN, which taught working with neon not as a commercial tool but as a means of artistic expression. In 1989 he studied at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, FL, with Stephen Antonakos, whom Kraft still considers one of his major influences.
Philosophy
Craig Kraft's philosophy towards making art lies in his belief that a piece of art must work synergistically with its site; art and architecture must function together in harmony. He believes that an artist must consider the site the same way in which he views the art, for every place he puts an object affects how others view it just as much as the appearance of the object itself. As such, art must grow organically from the site, incorporating the different elements of the architecture aesthetically as well as culturally. In his own words, Kraft is “inspired by the site in public art and by close examination of form, color, and light in general. Works are made from scratch—little preconceived notions about the final outcomes. [I work with] one decision leading to another, always looking ahead as to how all the media (the aluminum, the neon, and the surroundings) work together as a whole."
Teaching
After spending a nearly a decade learning to use neon in the service of art, Kraft began to spend some of his time teaching others the craft of neon. While many artists resist sharing their specific (and often secret) techniques to others, Kraft has always enjoyed teaching eager students the skills and perspectives that he has gained over the years. Since 1992 Kraft has been a member of the faculty of the Smithsonian Institution Studio Arts Program and has offered private neon workshops at his studio.