Gregory Louis Crumbly is an American portrait artist.
Early life
editGregory Crumbly was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. At age 12, Crumbly fell off his bike and impaled his right hand on a shattered bottle. He severed a tendon and was in a cast for one year. His doctor told him his hand would curl into a claw if he didn't write or draw to regain movement. He hated to write, so he started drawing family portraits.[1][2] He attended the Governor's School of the Arts at Bucknell University after graduating first in a high school class of 4,500. He graduated from Bucknell in 1980, with a degree in Psychology and Art History
Career
editCrumbly joined the United States Army and took ranger training. He retired from the United States Army Rangers in 1988, after his helicopter was shot down.[3] He joined the Pittsburgh Police Department and served as a forensic detective until 1997. His drawings were hung in police stations throughout the city of Pittsburgh, helping to identify and capture criminals. In 1994, he was shot in the leg while tussling with a suspect, resulting in eight leg operations, and no kneecap. The shooting kept Crumbly, 45, from getting out in the field. In 1999, a case brought him to Tampa, Florida, where he decided to retire.
He has created paintings[4] that were exhibited nationally and internationally.[2] In 2017, he published Black Heroes Through History, illustrating his best pieces. It was accepted into the Hillsborough County School System. Works from the book are on display at the Saint Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts and the Pentagon Hall of Heroes.
Artist life
editHis art work is held by the Pentagon Hall of Heroes and the Saint Petersburg Museum of History.[5][6][7][8] His portraits were gifted to leaders including the Prime Minister of Kenya Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta[9] and Pope Benedict.[10] Crumbly was commissioned by the National Rifle Association of America to paint Freedom Stand Tall and Legends of the Gun.[citation needed] He painted a portrait of Matt Kenseth for Roush Racing.[citation needed] The Basketball Hall of Fame commissioned Crumbly to paint Meadowlark Lemon.[citation needed] Crumbly donated many of his pieces to Veteran families,[11] institutions.[12]
References
edit- ^ Recchia, Lorraine (November 2012). My Wingmen: Close Encounters with Archangel Michael and Archangel Raphael. Balboa Press. ISBN 9781452559810.
- ^ a b Kamau, Fatha John Patrick (2013-01-23). The Bright Dark Nights of the Soul. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781479743223.
- ^ Kamau, Fatha John Patrick (2013-01-23). The Bright Dark Nights of the Soul. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781479743223.
- ^ Grant, Daniel (2010-09-21). Selling Art Without Galleries: Toward Making a Living from Your Art. Allworth Press. ISBN 9781581158236.
- ^ "On View - Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg". Museum of Fine Arts. 3 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.[failed verification]
- ^ "St. Pete's Tuskegee Airman honored with portrait". The Tampa Tribune. 2015-08-19. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
- ^ "Centennial celebration". 2015-08-20. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
- ^ "An American hero honored |". theweeklychallenger.com. 27 August 2015. Archived from the original on August 27, 2015. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
- ^ Kamau, fatha John Patrick (2014-10-29). The Bright Nights and Drumbeats from Mama Africa: The Bright Nights in the World of the Mentally and Physically Handicapped. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781499070460.
- ^ Kamau, Fatha John Patrick (2013-01-23). The Bright Dark Nights of the Soul. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781479743223.
- ^ O'DONNELL, CHRISTOPHER. "A veteran paints portraits to give to survivors of troops killed in Iraq". Sarasota Herald. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
- ^ "Casino Night with Veterans Art Center Tampa Bay". St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce | Saint Petersburg, FL. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-02.