Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 2-23-18

Local
Self-Taught Tampa Artist Donates ‘Historical’ Painting
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Greg Crumbly is a humble and unique indi- vidual. He is a single fa- ther, a Smithsonian inductee, and a self-taught artist, who began drawing as a child.
On Tuesday evening, Crumbly presented one of his paintings to the Hills- borough County School Board. He had previously unveiled it at the Florida State Fair in the Black His- tory Booth in the Florida Center. Superintendent Jeff Eakins was on hand for the unveiling. Entitled “On Their Shoulders,” the painting depicts several prominent African Ameri- can activists who fought for justice and equality.
Crumbly is a world renowned internationally known artist. He has estab- lished himself as the painter of historical fig- ures. He also paints family portraits “that look like photographs,” he said.
He was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute recently having donated a collection of paintings de- picting Black heroes
Artist Greg Crumbly is shown at the Hillsborough County School Board meeting Tuesday making the presentation of his artwork to Superintendent Jeff Eakins and Hillsborough County School Board Chair- woman Sally Harris. His son, David, is holding the portrait while daughter, Marsia looks on. (Photograph courtesy of the Hillsborough County School District).
do this,” Crumbly said.
A native of Erie, Penn- sylvania, Crumbly came to Tampa 21 years ago. He was a Forensic Detective at the Pittsburgh Police De- partment, on loan to the Federal Bureau of Investi- gations and sent to Tampa. While here, Crumbly said he was informed that he qualified for early retire- ment and took advantage
of it.
After graduating from
high school, Crumbly en- rolled at Bucknell Univer- sity, in Lewisburg, PA. He graduated with a degree in Psychology and Art His- tory. Following graduation, Crumbly entered the U. S. Army, where he served as an Army Ranger for 10 years, the 59-year-old fa- ther said.
Crumbly decided to paint historical figures be- cause he used to become so incensed with the way his- tory was told. “People were thinking everything came from other places and went to Africa. Everything came out of Africa and flowed throughout the world.”
The paintings will be displayed in the Dr. Sam Horton Center.
throughout history. Crumbly describes his
ability to paint as being taught by God. He launched his career as an artist 14 years ago. He re- calls being ill at the time.
“I became ill and that’s when the Lord spoke to me. The Master said, ‘Get up and paint for my peo- ple. Tell them where they’ve come from so they’ll know where they
have to go.’
“I got up and started
painting. And, since that day, I have painted every day. I’ve been infused with something and I don’t want it to end. I wasn’t trained to
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018