By Cynthia Schuster-Eakin

Avon Lake artist Sean Crum is almost certain to make a big splash on the local art scene with his upcoming one-man show of new works at Beck Center, September 6-27.
In fact, “Splash” is the title Crum has chosen for his exhibit. “Splash” is also the name he has assigned to the artistic technique, something new and different that hasn’t been done,” Crum explains. He says he adapted “Splash” from lithography methods.
“Nature plays an important role in my work. My subject is often a plant or animal and the structure of my art is built by exploiting artistic effects allowed to happen naturally,” Crum Notes. He says the “Splash” technique is based on the natural incongruence of oil and water.
Crum says he begins one of his “Splash” portraits by rendering the drawing in dark and light shades with charcoal on a flesh-colored background. A workable fixative is then sprayed onto the charcoal drawing and areas are tinted with glazes of thin, transparent acrylic color. The picture is then coated with turpentine. Various colors of acrylic paint are “splashed” into the turpentine. the painting is finished with oil pastel.
“The water-based acrylic beads up into puddles that dry naturally into interesting shapes. The rhythmic designs they form are similar to the natural patterns found in rocks, water, wind and other phenomena of this world,” Crum points out. “As artist, I act as a director, selecting where to splash color, how much color to use, what directions to splash in, and how to tie it all together into a finished work of art.”
Crum says eleven different colors of acrylic paint were “splashed” onto the surface of his painting of John F. Kennedy, entitled, “Ask Not.” The artist says his works are heavily symbolic. Although eleven colors are used in the Kennedy portrait, the background is largely red, white and blue. A bold splash of red stains the canvas on the right side of the president’s head. Kennedy is depicted in the very shirt he wore on the day he was assassinated.
Crum says he has chosen historical figures for several of his “Splash” paintings simply because, “I paint people who have influenced me.” He has also completed drawing of Robert E. Lee and Sitting Bull. Crum says the very first “Splash” portrait he completed was of a personal idol, artist Paul Cezanne. When the painting turned out as he had hoped it would, Crum says it seemed to be a sign, or omen, that he had found the artistic technique he had been searching for.
“Shrinking Environment,” a drawing of a black panther, is described by Crum as being devoid of background, symbolic of our shrinking global environment. Interspersed through the painting are symbols of death.
“Danger,” a painting of another cat, a tiger, is made to elicit audience participation, Crum explains. “The viewer is supposed to be wondering what the pieces mean,” he says. “Where is the real danger?”/ A Death’s Head moth flutters along in front of the stalking cat, and three empty rifle casings lie on the jungle floor.
The artist did allow himself a bit of light-hearted fun in this show. “Bee Eaters Bein’,” a picture of three woodpecker-like birds, is a, “whimsical, colorful composition,” Crum explains. The show also includes some “Splash” landscapes, as well as several intricate etchings, done in brown/black ink, to achieve and “Old Master” look, Crum says.
The artist opening for “Splash” is Saturday, September 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Beck Center is at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. When not putting together ambitious one-man exhibits like “Splash,” the 46 year-old Crum works as a high school art and art history teacher for the North Ridgeville City Schools. He co-authored the North Ridgeville Art Department curriculum and is the sole author of the North Ridgeville Art History curriculum.
Sean Crum has a Master of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Art and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cleveland State University. A professional artist since 1976, Crum has exhibited in most local juried shows.
He has received awards for his work from the Beck Center, The Sheffield lake Art Association, The North Ridgeville Arts Council, Case Western Reserve University, The Cooper School of Art, Academia, The North Ridgeville Lions Club and Jostens Publishing Company, His work has been featured in Cleveland Magazine, The Plain Dealer and The Lorain Journal, as well as on The WVIZ Art Auction and in several other publications and television broadcasts.
Crum has had several one-man shows and has been included in a number of group shows both locally and nationally. His work is included in the collections to the Higbee Company, (now Kaufmann’s), Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve, The Cleveland Institute of Art, WVIZ, The North Lions Club, and The North Ridgeville Arts Council. He has performed workshops and seminars for several local institutions, including The Ohio Arts Council, The North Ridgeville Arts Council, The Beck Center, The Jewish Sisterhood, The North Ridgeville Lions club and North Ridgeville City Schools. Crum most recently served as a judge for this summer’s Lakewood Arts Festival.