Rondell Crier

Rondell is a hybrid-creative working at the cross section of art, civic engagement, and community leadership. He began his career in New Orleans, through a local youth arts organization, YAYA. There he worked on various commission projects and received opportunities to travel and exhibit in Japan, Germany, Italy, New York, Holland, and numerous cities across the States, and later served as Creative Director for 11 years.

He currently lives in Chattanooga, TN, where his public art sculptures, murals, installations, and community projects contribute to the city’s creative vibrancy.

Rondell has public art sculptures in the city’s collection and has exhibited work in Detroit, Houston, New Orleans, Chattanooga, and Miami, and continues to make investments in people through creativity.

Who inspires you? 

It’s very inspirational for me to witness people gaining a sense of belonging to their community and a developing a true sense of self-worth. 

What inspires you to do your work?

I am born to create. I use to think that was just about being an artist and making art, but now I’ve come to realize that I’ve also been creating life, opportunity, equity, inspiration, justice, peace, and brighter futures through my creativity as well, which inspires me to keep doing my work. 

What is one wish you have for Chattanooga? 

I wish for once as a community we can truly center those who are most vulnerable first. Focus less attention where privileges already exist in abundance and convert our individual resources into mechanisms of justice.

What did it mean to be recognized with the Footprint Award? 

Normally, being recognized is not a high priority on my list of desires, especially through this work. I’ve always felt that receiving accolades for restoring justice is a form of centering the wrong system, people, or persons. What makes this recognition different is that it brings awareness to individuals who impact community beyond the walls of our institutions and provide funding relief for those individuals who work tirelessly with very very little to restore justice for our community. The award is not reflective of “being recognized” it is reflective of a “relief resource” acknowledging that the people that these individuals support need resources, and more resources, to get a glimpse of what justice could look like.