professional Artist for any occasion
A heart is a system in the body that keeps us alive. It pumps oxygen through the bloodstream and grows stronger as it supports life. The heart is not only an organ; it is also a symbol of love, heartbreak, care, and effort. It represents loyalty and commitment, but also betrayal and longing. This piece explores both the physical and symbolic nature of the heart. The body opens to reveal its structure, exposing the ribcage and what it protects. The heart hangs delicately in the hands, with its strings suspended in the air and under examination. The figure looks toward these connections, acknowledging both dependence and constraint. The exposed body emphasizes vulnerability, while the strings suggest that even when removed, the heart is never entirely free. They represent emotional connections that can support, control, or hold us back. Through this imagery, the piece explores exposure, attachment, and the complicated relationship between the heart and the body.
Claryssa Forde
Claryssa Forde is an emerging artist raised in Rahway and Linden New Jersey. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, graduating magna cum laude from Kean University. Working across a wide range of mediums including printmaking, charcoal drawing, jewelry making, acrylic and watercolor painting, ceramics, furniture making, and both 2D and 3D design, her practice is rooted in experimentation and material exploration.
With a primary focus on charcoal drawing and printmaking, Forde moves fluidly between disciplines, allowing each medium to inform the next. Her work reimagines the world using powerful graphic imagery and through a symbolic and surreal lens, inviting viewers to slow down, question what they see, and ask why. Through layered imagery and evocative forms, she seeks to captivate her audience while communicating ideas that extend beyond language.
For Forde, art is a form of translation, one that transforms thought, emotion, and experience into something universally felt. Through her work, she invites viewers to see differently and find meaning within the unfamiliar.
The name CRF Galaxy reflects both the artist behind the work and the world she creates. CRF represents Forde’s initials, while Galaxy symbolizes the expansive creative universe that exists through her imagination and artistic practice. It is a space where ideas, emotions, symbols, and experiences converge, allowing her to explore possibilities beyond the boundaries of ordinary perception.
At the heart of CRF Galaxy is the philosophy, “When it’s dark, look for the stars.” For Forde, this serves as a reminder to seek light, meaning, and possibility even in moments of uncertainty. Darkness represents the unknown, the difficult, or the things that are not immediately understood, while the stars symbolize the small discoveries, perspectives, and moments of clarity that help guide us forward. This philosophy informs her approach to art, encouraging her to find meaning within the unfamiliar and transform complex thoughts and emotions into visual expressions. Through CRF Galaxy, Forde invites others into this world, offering them an opportunity to discover their own interpretations, find connections, and see light in places they may not have thought to look.
Portfolios
Resident Assistant Portfolio
Furniture Making Process
Three Dimensional Design Portfolio
Quick Portfolio Overview
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibition
Kean University
Group Exhibition
Kean University
Spring 2026
Newark Arts Festival
On Purpose
Fall 2026.10.7
Newark Arts Festival
Education
Bachelor of Studio Arts
Linden High School
Artist Statement
The heart is an organ that keeps us alive. Its methodical, often soft, consistent beat circulates warm blood throughout the body, creating a sensation of presence everywhere at once. Though it resides in the chest, it can feel as though it exists in many places simultaneously.
It is not only a physical structure, but also a symbol of love, heartbreak, care, and effort. It becomes a measure of loyalty and commitment, and just as easily, of betrayal and longing for something more. This show explores both its physical and symbolic nature, where it exists, and where else it might be.
A heart in an eye suggests seeing through what is revealed or discovering something new. A heart in the mouth speaks to taste, intimacy, and the desire to become unraveled. A heart outside the body may be protected, locked away, or opened fully to the world. The heart can live in many places, and through this show, I invite the viewer to discover them all.
The Victorian era was marked by a culture of concealment; renowned for hiding aspects of life in order to preserve strict social order, modesty, and an illusion of perfection. My work follows this idea of hidden meaning. Each object in the show holds something beneath the surface. I want you to pay attention to what you see, smell, and even taste. Notice what memories or feelings they evoke for you. That personal response is the explanation.
Everyone will experience the show differently. Just as the heart connects to every part of the body, your senses are connected and work together to shape what you feel and understand.
Resident Assistant
Kean University
Coordinate large-scale move-in and move-out operations for 1,000+ residents, delivering efficient problem-solving and high-quality customer service
Design and maintain engaging monthly bulletin boards to promote community awareness and resident engagement
Plan and execute educational and recreational programs each semester, increasing resident participation and community development
Art Teacher Assistant
The Institute of Music for Children
Supervised daily classroom activities, serving as a positive role model while managing supplies
Collaborated with students to create 20+ set pieces for a theatrical production and a large-scale mural
Independently designed and produced a custom playbook cover
Maintained a clean, organized classroom to support a productive and creative educational space