Dragana Crnjak (b.1977)
Sky Birds, 2022-23
Commissioned by Summa Health
Materials: Site-specific wall drawing, charcoal, acrylic
Location: Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion, Ground Floor Lobby, Opposite Entrance
Dragana Crnjak’s artistic practice explores the ephemeral nature of mark-making, with a particular focus on charcoal’s inherent instability. This material quality mirrors broader concepts that shape her work: the fragmentary nature of time, the contemplative process of creation, and the influence of memory on perception.
While Crnjak has executed temporary, site-specific wall drawings in the past, this Summa Health commission marks her first permanent installation of this kind. Working directly on the wall, as Renaissance frescoists once did, she embraced the large-scale format, a process that naturally slows down creation and invites reflection.
The Imagery of Sky Birds
The composition of Sky Birds evolved into a rising flock. Birds symbolize freedom, transcendence, and the spirit across many cultural traditions, from Greek and Roman antiquity to Christian iconography and Japanese art. However, Crnjak resists depicting specific bird species, opting instead for abstracted, weightless forms that evoke flight and movement.
To bring Sky Birds to life, Crnjak first painted an atmospheric backdrop directly onto the wall, creating a subtle skyscape. She then prepared to-scale “cartoons” (full-scale preparatory drawings) as Renaissance artists did when planning murals. These were temporarily affixed to the wall, guiding her application of charcoal. Using a scissor lift to reach the upper areas of the composition she layered marks, refining their intensity and movement. A final touch was added with broad brushstrokes that softened the charcoal and imparted a sense of upward motion. The resulting effect is one of ascension and boundlessness, drawing the viewer’s gaze upward in a moment of quiet awe.
About the Artist
Born in the former Yugoslavia, Dragana Crnjak relocated to Akron in 1997. She earned her B.F.A. in painting from the University of Akron before completing an M.F.A. in painting and printmaking at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her work has been widely recognized through numerous awards, including a Professional Fellowship in Drawing from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and multiple Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council (2008, 2011, 2015).
Since 2006, Crnjak has been a professor of painting and drawing at Youngstown State University, with previous teaching engagements at the Cleveland Institute of Art and the University of Virginia. Her work is held in notable collections such as the Progressive Collection (Cleveland), Capital One (Richmond), and the U.S. Ambassadorial residence in Sarajevo, among others. Her drawings and paintings have been featured in exhibitions across the United States and internationally, and she was included in Drawing Essentials: A Complete Guide to Drawing (Oxford University Press, 2019).
Where to See More of Her Work
Crnjak’s portfolio spans works on paper, canvas, and large-scale site-specific installations which can be viewed on her website. Her art is represented by Page Bond Gallery in Richmond, VA, and is included in both private and public collections. In addition to her commissioned works, she has participated in the Curated Storefront Project in Akron and exhibited in venues throughout Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, New York, and beyond.
Sky Birds invites visitors to pause and reflect, offering a moment of stillness and wonder within Summa Health’s healing environment.
The Healing Arts at Summa Health