Quimby Galley Artist

For those of you lucky enough to have already seen the exhibit in the Quimby Gallery, and those of you who haven't, here is the scoop behind the talented artist, Sumner Crenshaw. And don't miss the exhibit; it ends October 14th.

I wasn't fortunate enough to meet Crenshaw in person, but I found everything I was looking for through our emails.

Q: What can you tell me about your background?
Crenshaw: I was born in Phoenix, AZ, in 1984 but I grew up in Derby, VT. I received my BFA from Johnson State College in 2006, and this spring I earned my MFA from the Academy of Art University.

Q:What are your hobbies?
Crenshaw: I enjoy traveling, walking my dog, and lately I’ve also gotten into baking. And, I suppose that one of my favorite pastimes is shopping:)

Q: Name your favorite museum:
Censhaw:I love the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. I could go there a million times and not get bored. Their collection is just astounding. One of my favorite art pieces is Salvador Dali’s “The Temptation of St. Anthony”. Another is Picasso’s “The Frugal Meal”. Both of these pieces are so full of power, and I really admire how the artists exaggerated the forms.

Have you ever attended LSC?
Crenshaw: I attended LSC for a semester in 2003; I took a figurative drawing class with Martin McGowan.

Q: Name a few pieces in the Quimby Gallery:
Crenshaw:“Avoidance”, “Pulling Our Weight”, “The Anguish of Surrendering”

Q:How long have you been painting?
Crenshaw: I’ve been creating art my whole life, but I started painting about 5 years ago.

Q:What is the inspiration behind your art work?
Crenshaw: A lot of what inspires me comes from within. I think that inner emotions and struggles are great creative starting points, and many of my ideas come from expressing these hidden emotions. Letting yourself feel pain and getting in touch with it unlocks so much creative potential. I’ve never been afraid to paint the darker side of things, and to me, every little drama and stumble in life is an opportunity to find an idea and tell a story.

Q:Where is your favorite place to create art?
Crenshaw: My home studio. It’s quiet and free of distractions. There I can just go off into my own little world and focus on what I’m painting.

Q: What are your goals for the future?
Crenshaw: My goal has always been to be recognized. I hope that one day people will know my name and recognize my art. I want to be remembered, and, as corny as it sounds, I hope that someday my own work will be hanging in the Museum of Modern Art.

Q:Is your work displayed elsewhere?
Crenshaw: I don’t have any other exhibitions up right now, but my work is displayed on a few websites, including www.ugallery.com and www.icogallery.com. I also have an online shop where I display and sell t-shirts and other products that are decorated with my art. It’s at www.cafepress.com/SumnerCrenshaw.

Q: Who is your favorite artist, and things to paint?
Crenshaw: I think that Salvador Dali’s work is just spectacular. He’s always been a favorite of mine. I can remember being a little kid, looking through a book of his paintings, and being mesmerized by his work. His paintings transport the viewer to a whole different realm. I also admire the German Expressionist painters, especially Egon Schiele. I like how they managed to fuse emotion and style in their work. I really like to paint people and imaginary environments. The idea of being able to create a new world and present a different viewpoint appeals to me. I’ve painted other things, such as landscapes and still lifes, but they don’t grab me the way that figurative work does. I have a great amount of respect and admiration for artists who work in these genres, but they’ve just never been for me. Being able to paint figures in some imaginary scenario is what I’m passionate about.

Q: Do you create other forms of art?
Crenshaw: I create ceramic pieces, and I also do printmaking.

Q; Does your work have a message to the viewer?
Crenshaw: I hope that this exhibit resonates with viewers. My desire is to have visitors connect to and identify with the paintings. I hope that viewers will look at the works and ponder the emotions behind the subjects, realizing the diverse ways in which art can convey and illuminate emotions, and the powerful creative possibilities of both realism and surrealism.

Q:If you could describe your work in a few sentences what would it say?
Crenshaw: My work stretches from realism to abstraction to surrealism. The images I create represent things swirling in all of us, too hidden to recognize and often too frightening to acknowledge. I try to paint the passions, frustrations and fears that sway us all; the feeling of looking at someone and knowing you’ve been betrayed, or of facing your own reflection and just wanting to scream.