Sumner Crenshaw Art

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Inspired by a Scottish folktale during her trip to Scotland, artist Sumner Crenshaw depicts two figures under the moon. In the tale, a selkie transforms into a ...

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Two mythological figures appear in an underwater realm. The siren symbolizes the internal struggles that humans grapple with. The artwork serves as a visual rep...

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A nude woman strikes a seductive pose, her hair hanging gracefully in sweeping curves. Created with oil paint and graphite, the piece started as an experiment f...

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Recently, I took the major step of buying a house. After a tumultuous few weeks of real-estate buying stress, I christened my new studio by creating this little...

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"I decided to lean into the suggestive pose of the figure," shares artist Sumner Crenshaw, "creating a work that radiates with confident sensuality and femini...

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A flowing, expressionist portrait of woman lost in dance and embracing the promise of a new day. "I created this painting as 2020 drew to a close and 2021 daw...

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Recently, Sumner has been exploring the use of text in her paintings, adding poetry to accompany the message of the artwork. "This piece is about the loss we...

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This painting is all about roots;both going back to my artistic roots, and learning that in order for something to grow, one must take care of the roots. Crafte...

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Inspired by pre-Christian Irish mythology, this piece depicts the Morrigan, a deity associated with war, fate and sovereignty. Often described as a trio of go...

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"A confident Curly Girl struts across the stage, channeling her inner Betty Boop," Sumner explains. "She flashes a playful tattoo as she moves across the floor, pictured here as stripes of black and lemon yellow, while the limelight curves around her. She is all about putting the fun in femininity." This painting is part of Sumner's signature series of Curly Girls. These flowing, Art Nouveau-inspired characters represent transformation. Sumner always places the figure alone and in the middle of a personal story - in the middle of their transformation.

About the Artist
Sumner Crenshaw infuses her work with movement, lines and varying degrees of color. She currently lives in Maryland and finds inspiration in the work of Salvador Dali. Her goal is to keep exploring the minimalist, narrative surrealism she's been moving toward.

Words that describe this painting: figurative, nude, feminism, playful, fun, cartoon, art nouveau , nudes, representational, oil painting, white

Bathed in the Spotlight...

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This piece was all about exploring the relationship between the figure and the curvilinear shapes swirling around her, says Sumner Crenshaw. They surround her...

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Using art to work through the loss of my father, this piece explores how grief causes otherwise forgotten objects to take on new meaning. My dad and I were es...

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Created during the chilly winter, this piece is a celebration of warmth and light. Bathed in the hot spotlight, this dancer shimmies around the stage and help...

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Inspired by a flowering vine that I happened upon in the backyard of my new house, this piece is meant to evoke joy and warmth. Even as summer faded into fall...