Barbara Crown Is Enjoying a Time of Exploration

Photography was an early passion for new Anderson Artists Guild member Barbara Crown. She took photography courses at Bowling Green State University and the Ohio Institute of Photography though she eventually completed a degree in marketing and communication at the University of Dayton.

Still, her photography background proved important during her initial working years. That included doing commercial photography for the Hobart Corporation, which at that time owned KitchenAid. “I’d help set up kitchens and commercial kitchens for advertising photos,” she said. Later, when she managed packaging for DAP, a caulk and sealant company, she continued to do set-ups for photography for advertising.

But when she and her husband, George, also an AAG member, decided they wanted a change and moved to Harsens Island on Michigan’s eastern shore, she focused on running a gift shop for the next 25 years. This included attending shows in Florida, Texas, and Georgia to order merchandise, as well as preparing her husband’s artwork for sale.

She also served as president of the Harsens Island St. Clair Flats Association and edited its annual magazine.

Now that she and George have retired to Anderson, she has more time for photography. “I like the simplicity of more abstract black and white photography,” she said. “It’s more design oriented and lets the viewer imagine more.”

Her subject matter is in flux. “I like elements of nature and man-made structures, but I’m trying to get ideas right now,” she said. “This is my time of exploration.”