Artist Statement

Crystal Gonzalez Callison is a Utah-based, Texas-native Mexican-American interdisciplinary artist and mother of six, including children with disabilities. She began creating art in her mid-30s as a way to process her experiences, particularly grief and loss, following her father’s passing. Her work dives into themes of identity, grief, loss, motherhood, family, and heritage as she learns more about herself, her family history, and her culture. As a first-generation Mexican-American, she has felt the weight of cultural disconnect as she navigates a life between two worlds and aims to bridge that gap through her art by visually exploring the contrast between what was lost, what has been preserved, and what she is now trying to reclaim. Through this reflection, she hopes to understand her place in the world and share that journey with others.

About

Crystal Gonzalez Callison (b. 1988) is a Utah-based interdisciplinary artist and mother of six, including children with disabilities. Born and raised in Texas, Crystal’s creative journey began early, with art and music being her forms of expression. Despite losing access to formal art classes after fifth grade, she continued to explore her creativity in different ways throughout her life and found a love for building with her hands, learning from her father as she helped him construct their home.

In 2010, Crystal moved to Utah, and shortly after married her husband, whom she knew since they were eight. After her second-born child was diagnosed with a brain tumor, with one semester left, she paused her associates in music to care for her family. Though she bought art supplies for her children and encouraged their creative expression, it wasn’t until years later that she decided to pursue art for herself. Inspired by her daughter’s desire to attend college for art and the artists on the BYUtv Artful series, Crystal began her artistic career in her mid-30s as a way to process her feelings about her experiences, particularly grief and loss, following her father’s passing.

Crystal is currently working toward her BFA at BYU, where her work dives into themes of identity, motherhood, grief, loss, family, heritage, and memories. She seeks to bridge her past to the present while reflecting on her place in the world, using her art to share her personal journey and offer insight into navigating life between two cultures.

Her work has been featured in exhibitions at the UVU Museum of Art at Lakemont, the Springville Museum, JKR Gallery, and various student exhibitions. Crystal received first place in the 2024 Minerva Teichert Award for Creative Work competition, featured in Exponent II,  and has been interviewed by the Daily Universe. Her work will also be published in the 2025 AWE (A Women’s Experience) magazine.

Crystal is currently focused on expanding her artistic practice, experimenting with different mediums for personal storytelling. She hopes to deepen her understanding of identity, heritage, family, motherhood, and memories, and share her journey with others through her evolving work.