ArtPrize 2025: C.R. Warner, ‘35’

3 Oct. 2025

By Justin Tiemeyer - Contributing Writer

C.R. Warner’s painting, titled “35,” is on display at Cellar Bird Books, at 415 Bridge Street NW, Suite B. It is one of a series of self portraits Warner has been working on, this one celebrating her 35th birthday in 2024.

“It was a really busy and stressful year,” Warner said. “Usually, I’m done by my birthday in August, but this one went late. I didn’t end up finishing until a couple of months ago.”

One thing that kept Warner from sitting down and painting was that she was wrapping up a big tarot deck project, the culmination of four years of work. This deck focused on headstrong feminine themes and diverse forms. “I typically explore feminine themes in my art,” Warner said, “but the tarot deck was kind of laser focused on it.”

Warner is self-taught. She nearly attended Kendall College of Art and Design, but at the last minute, the price tag scared her. If she ever needs help with something, typically, one of her art friends has a solution.

While Warner may not have had formal art education, she is one of the fortunate few with a full-time job in freelance art. These days, she is working on a balance of income streams between art markets, art shows, and commissions. “I paint what I want,” Warner said. “I’m not too worried about how it is labeled.”

Looking at “35,” you can see Warner herself depicted, but you can also see a great deal of her influences. The painting is unafraid to dovetail into illustration; the frame calls to mind the tarot cards she has been working on, and the fingers grasping at her head invoke a feeling of horror. “I think the beauty in horror gets overlooked because of the subject,” Warner said. “They either like it or ask if I’m OK.”

One reason why yearly self portraits are so important to Warner is as a barometer of where she is with her skillset. “When I finished this, I was like, ‘I think I leveled up,’” Warner said. “I’ve done these for so long. Sometimes they look the same. This one was a personal success for me. Drawing hands and fingers is hard. I feel like this is the zenith of my work so far. I’m just proud of it technically.”

Warner also uses these self portraits to capture who she has become each year. “It’s like my version of a selfie, I guess,” Warner said. “It’s incredibly important to me that I’m capturing what’s actually there. I don’t want to face turn or put a filter on it. I want to capture it as it is.”

Going into 2024, Warner changed, and she is not just referring to her hairstyle. She went through, what she described as a dental journey, a process that changed both her smile and her face.

While most artists contend with a grueling venue search process going into ArtPrize, Warner’s placement was a bit more serendipitous. While attending the Eastown Bizarre Bazaar, Warner happened to meet the husband of the owner of Cellar Bird Books. She mentioned that she had entered ArtPrize, and he asked if she had a venue. “I knew of Cellar Bird Books,” Warner said. “They were runner up for Best New Business in ‘Revue’s Best of the West.’ I didn’t know they were a venue.”

Warner’s piece resonated with the owner, who herself had just turned 35, and the rest, they say, is history.

When Warner spoke with the Ledger for her ArtPrize interview, she was worried that she might be similarly late to finish her 2025 self portrait, titled “36,” but she recently posted an update to her Facebook art page that she finished the piece on Sept. 18, prior to a weekend at Funky Ferndale. This year’s painting explores what Warner’s relationship with her dog has meant to her.

Lyric is a German Shepherd, and, in many ways, she has acted as a shield for Warner over the years. For this painting, Warner explored the gut-wrenching depths of what things may feel like when Lyric is no longer around. “When she leaves, am I going to be stronger? Has she made me stronger? What will that look like when she’s not currently with me?” Warner wondered. “She’s only eight, but you never know.”

C.R. Warner’s self portrait, titled “35,” exploring the ways in 2024 that her dreams could have slipped through her fingers, is on display at Cellar Bird Books at 415 Bridge Street NW, Suite B (Vote ID 10434). She also has four pieces on display at Cocoon Art Space, at 327 Division Avenue South. For those looking to follow her progress after ArtPrize, check out her website crwarner.com or her Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok handle @crwarnerart.