Noah Cribb's artistic practice is rooted in the exploration of nature and the unexpected. Through walking and collecting debris, he's discovered a fascination with the ephemeral beauty of the natural world. By following intuitive cues and embracing serendipity, Cribb creates works that explore the intersection of the mundane and the extraordinary. The interplay of light, color, and form allows him to uncover hidden narratives within the materials he collects.

Can you tell us a little bit about you?

My disposition is sensitive by nature. My mother always tells me that growing up I was an observer. The kid who would hang in the back and watch everything happen. Never quick to catch the group's attention, more comfortable out of view of their watchful eyes. I grew up in Lakeland Florida, where my family and I would often vacation to Annamaria island. Watching the sunset over the gulf is one of my earliest memories, while the feeling of being cradled by the crashing waves echoes in my bones. I am now 26 years old practicing in Miami where my great-grandmothers once played in the sun and climbed corporate ladders. I frequent the nature preserves around South Florida. I began visiting these sites in 2020 as walking became a form of nourishment. Walking is the foundation of my process while my place of practice is in the learning theatre of the Perez Art Museum Miami. I set up my studio and work throughout the day twice a week there. I've evolved three bodies of work in that space, and have found myself there by no other way than following syncronistic leads. As private studios come and go I think back to the people who have helped my career greatly and I’m thankful for opportunities as they arise such as the design district having me in residence the past year, granting me a dedicated space to work.

How do you decide when to incorporate found materials into your work and how to use them?

I'll begin by saying I don't feel like the selection process is a decision of mine or even how it manifests in my work. On a rational level I am deciding to pick up said debris and project them into a composition but beyond that, there is a calling from the objects themselves. Much like the Whispering shells of Fincyra in the tales of Merlin, the debris beckons an echo within me that reverberates in my body until manifesting in decision.

Can you elaborate on the concept of "synchronicities" and how they guide your artistic practice?

My spiritual practice and artistic practice are tightly intertwined. I find myself in times of turmoil or tremendous stress when I lose touch with the synchronicities of life. When balance is achieved we begin to move through life with ease as if we’re working in tandem with the powers at play. Synchronicities are great sources of inspiration. When I can connect a signal in the present moment to a meaningful experience happening in my life it opens the channel for willpower which brings forth creation. It is moments like the sunset hitting your window perfectly to cast shadows on the walls or the generous act of someone gifting you the thing you never knew you needed but that comes at exactly the right time. It is by cultivating a sensitivity to these synchronicities that I trust will help me lead a creative life.

What role does chance or accident play in your creative process?

The act of projecting the silhouette of debris with the overhead projector is an example of chance in itself, as the loss of information such as color and texture dictates the first phase of abstraction. From that point on a breath, bump or any sudden movement can change the orientation of the material atop the projector altering the image beyond my control. Chance or accident also appears in my work as a remanence of endurance. I consider endurance to be a measurement of an object existing in time. My presentations have included marks or washes accumulated over many months of wear and tear, I think of these marks as proof of presence and that they hold in the line a charge that contributes to the entirety of the story of the work. It’s the marks that are made by routine and come from the rudimentary labors of life such as storing materials or tracking dirt into a space that gives a work of art spirit.

How do your personal experiences and observations influence your artistic themes and messages?

By romanticizing my relation to my immediate environment, I'm actively shaping the world I am trying to create. Intimate exchanges and sensual moments are a life drive within the creation of my work. Songs that call upon a day in the waves with a loved one or passing conversations between strangers in the park inform the moments of the call to action. Imagery is comprised of Silhouettes and unconventional materials acquired from daily interactions that wiggle their way into the work stringing together a narrative of memories that portray the story that is my life. There was one day in the studio when Turiya and Ramakrisha by Alice Coltrane started playing, the song took me exactly where I needed to be. I looped it while painting the silhouettes of two Coccoloba Uvifera stems. The painting had landed after 5 hours that day. Some works come quickly and I’ve found it is best to see it through as close to its final form as possible.

When did you first know you wanted to be an artist? Were there any early experiences that particularly inspired you?

From a young age, I had an affinity for the arts. I focused on piano and drawing which shaped my youth and always preferred over baseball practice. Later I attended an arts high school and graduated from New World School of The Arts with a degree in art and technology. Yet during those years, my realization to fulfil my will to live the artist's way came much later with my first serious body of work “Singleness of Focus”. I remember being on a walk around Key Biscayne while searching for materials, relishing the fact that I was lucky enough to be tucked away in the quaint sanctuary of Bear Cut Reserve when I had acknowledged a grand opportunity presented to me. On that day I realized during my freedom to peruse about the park that the title artist somehow granted a particular freedom in society. A way out of the traditional cast that we are born into and an invitation to choose curiosity every day. The privilege of deciding what it is you will give your energy to and the pass to think outrageously without any negative implications from society (to a certain extent). I realized that I could create a practice that would reinforce my desires in life and end up being the framework of the evolvement of my soul. After that day I decided to dedicate myself to this practice. The practice of walking, observing, and transmuting the energies that make up my life, so that I can better understand the story I am trying to tell. So that I will see through to the unfolding of the life I am meant to lead.

Are there any contemporary artists or trends that you find especially influential?

I have become entranced by Naudline Pierres work, her use of the flame drew me in and inspired me to insert myself into the conversation of artists working with the flame. Noah Schneiderman, Shasha Gorden, and Jaoquin Stacy Calle are other contemporaries who I also look to for inspiration. The motif of the flame has become a key component within the mark-making of my work and adds to a piece of the conversation of the contemporary Renaissance at hand.

Outside of creating, what are some of the things that you are most passionate about?

Outside of creating I am passionate about swimming, running, cooking, and hosting others. I love to host dinners for friends with my partner and I love to be in love! I'm an adventurer and enjoy traveling and trying new food. New experiences are fundamental for growth and I’m grateful for that they continue to shape me.

What is your favourite book or film and why?

I always get ragged on because I don’t watch a lot of films or haven’t seen many of the greats even though I have taken film history etc. There are so many movies and I guess I’ve seen a lot of the wrong ones hehe. A book that is forever sewn into my heart is The Little Prince, I say this because the book was gifted to me by my partner at the beginning of our friendship. The illustrations and the little prince’s adornment of his flower resonated with me deeply. The interaction made me feel special and I made some good art during that period. Aside from the sentimental value of being gifted the little prince, I am also fond of the books, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Bhagavad Gita, and The Change of Nature in Art.

Are you working on any projects you are particularly excited about?

There have been whispers of shows but at the moment I am focusing on painting for painting’s sake and working on evolving the body of work titled Arrangement of Momentum. I began this work in 2022 and it has endured great change. Out of this working title came the flame that has remained the constant thread between these worlds that appear. I am excited about some residencies I will attend this year and next. I’m doing a residency followed by a solo presentation In December at a gallery in San Isidro Peru named NOW Gallery and then Vermont Studio Center in February 2025. I am eager to find out how to adapt my practice to these new environments and spend more time painting.

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