"The art I create fulfills a powerful desire to express visually what's not easily spoken. I am moved by a passion for color, a love of symbols, and a deep interest in matters of the Spirit. Blending these elements keeps the rhythms of my roots alive by acknowledging the gifts of my ancestors, angels, and spirit guides. The power of art, beyond its visual image, is developed over time - born of the spirit, of roots, and the celebration of survival.

"I welcome you to journey through this site for a taste of my world of art as meditation, a great source of joy and peace I share with you. May your spirit be lifted and inspired! Thank you for visiting."                Adriene Cruz

Life should be Beauty, Magic and Joy
Smile, love, laugh and laugh some more
Our birthright is to know joy and experience pleasure
A spirit fueled with joy is charged and ready to go about the work we’re here to do.

It’s true we won’t always be happy or even feel good.

The challenge is managing to remember our birthright when the burdens get us down. Transform grief to beauty and dream something wonderful.

In my life, the experience of love and beauty has been the best medicine for elevating a beat down spirit. As in the beauty of …
A smile
Good music Dancing, dancing, dancing
Travel to new and familiar places
Forgiveness
Understanding
The love a support of family and friends
Children laughing
Kind words
Working out
My happy dog
Faith infused with courage
Selfless giving
Love, love, love
Flowers, trees, sunsets, walks by the river, a moonlit sky, and all the wonders of nature’s abundance …
The beauty of finding magic in everyday life
To have magic in our lives is to remember it’s real, profound and sacred. Enjoy!

For generations, the women in Adriene Cruz' family have been sewing and designing clothing. A native of Harlem, New York, Adriene attended the High School of Art and Design, then the School of Visual Arts graduating with a BFA. In those years Adriene worked in wood sculpture, often with fiber elements, and gradually the fibers, especially tapestry crochet, became her primary focus, linking her art more directly to those traditions in her family.

In 1983, Cruz moved to Portland, Oregon, where a quilting course at the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts reinvigorated her artwork. Since then, she has been creating brilliantly colored and adorned quilts, piecing together richly patterned materials in rhythmic arrangements that are stately as well as exuberant, structured as well as improvisational, deeply moving on a spiritual level as well as simply enjoyable for their sheer beauty.

The resonant depths of these works arise from many factors: the relationship of the materials to Adriene’s ancestry; the warmth and comfort; the powers and symbolic qualities of cowrie shells, mirrors, and talismans; the artist's ability to connect viewers to the rhythms, shapes, and patterns of abundant life

Adriene's gifted use of color and design has also garnered attention for public art in the Portland community. She has created street banners and painted murals, and created the installation art for the Killingsworth Light Rail Station using glass concrete and steel. In addition to museum exhibits nationwide, Adriene has been featured in numerous books and publications.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Adriene may be reached by email.

CREDITS: Adriene's photo is from Art Alexander. This web site was created by Donna Cunningham of Word of Mouth Web Design. All border backgrounds and other elements are based on Adriene Cruz' art.