“skin\bones”: the holiness of being

SOLO EXHIBITION

January 16, 2026 - February 20, 2026

Touche Gallery presents

An immersive exhibition of paintings by Kristin Cronic

Press Release

Touche Gallery presents “skin\bones,” an exhibition of monumental paintings by Kristin Cronic. In this collection, the giants of the forest act as a metaphor of human experience. The artwork transmutes tree forms into psychological portraits which reflect joy, lament, and connection. Rendered on raw canvas, the markmaking dances between abstraction and lucidity.

Inspired by a practice of intentional looking, Cronic routinely makes time to detach from the noise of contemporary life. Over time, being quietly deliberate became an expression of worship and hope. She often found herself turning to nature for that peace, and there saw the grace of her own humanity reflected back to her.

Grounded in the artist’s own foundation in painting and drawing, the work tends towards representational imagery. Yet there is ‘wildness’ in her process, where she strives to preserve the early gestures as an extension of unbridled intuition.

As the pace of modern life overwhelms more than ever before, “skin\bones” offers an alternative: a call to look longer at what is there and reconnect individual holiness, through the artist’s own journey.

Cronic in her studio, 2025

About Kristin Rae Cronic

Born and raised in Jacksonville, FL, Kristin began her artistic journey at night while serving as an officer in the United States Navy. While experiencing the confinement of living on a ship at sea months at a time, Kristin yearned for a feeling of freedom, space, and rootedness. In response, she turned to plants as a primary source of comfort and inspiration. The silent wisdom they offered was boon to her personal self discovery within an institution that demanded the sublimation of the self to the great whole.

She received her MFA in Visual Art from Jacksonville University in 2022 and currently lives and works in Jacksonville, FL with her husband and three children. She teaches at Jacksonville University as a Drawing Professor. She is represented by Stellers Gallery (Jacksonville) and Lorenzo Swinton Gallery (Tennessee). Recent solo exhibitions include the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the United States Pentagon, and the United States Naval Academy Museum. Recent group shows include Pocket Utopia in NY, NY, and Number Inc’s 2024 “Art of the South” group exhibition at Stoveworks Gallery in Chattanooga, TN. She was a recipient of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville

Individual Artist Grant Recipient for the 2024-2025 cycle. In November, 2025, she illustrated the Google Doodle for Veterans Day.

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Details:

Touche Gallery 4070 Herschel St suite 3, Jacksonville, FL 32205

Opening reception 6-9 pm on January 16, 2026

Closing reception 6-9 pm on February 20, 2026

The gallery is open by appointment, and it is free to the public to attend. The online gallery can be found at https://touchegallery.com/.

For questions, contact Kevin.Ijhana@gmail.com

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