Biography of Derek McCrea
My main gallery site is at http://www.derekmccrea.50megs.com
Derek McCrea is a US Army Infantry Combat Soldier with two tours in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division, and this is his stress relief. He has always loved to paint; it allows him to express emotions on paper and relax. Derek paints in a whimsical impressionistic style in plein air settings. He was born in Albany, Georgia on February 19, 1969. He presently resides with his wife Sheila, of 22 years and his two sons. He first started painting with oils in the summer of 1984. From 1985 to 1986 he painted under the instruction of Jimmy Peterson, a well known artist from Georgia. In 1986 he won 1st place in the Georgia Arts Exhibition. Derek joined the United States Army in 1987 and continued self study and painting on landscape subjects in France, Holland, Germany, Italy and Hungary, painting in the plein air style. He has completed over 20 commissions in the past year. His art can be found in galleries throughout the Southeastern United States and in private collections worldwide. He has consistently donated several works every year to charities and loves to give back to the community for a good cause. His works are published in over 50 international publications and he has received numerous awards and honors for his work.
Artists Statement
"Art adds a balance to my life. I am compelled by nature to emulate it's beauty through creation. When I am at my easel nothing else matters except the moment when I escape into the painting. When a work is going well I am filled with a sense of peace and I naturally apply with brush strokes to a magnificent completion."
Exposures Derek is a member of the following societies:
Phenix City AL Artists Guild
Columbus Artists Guild
Southern Rivers Guild, GA
North Carolina Watercolor Society
Fayetteville Arts Council
Plein Air Florida - Space Coast Plein Air Painters
Plein Air Georgia
Derek's works were published in the following:
Cover Art - 12th Annual Nashville TN Screenwriter's Conference - Feb 2010
Bee Paper Cover Art Landscape Sketch Book - 2010-2011
Harvests of New Millenium - India - Annual Publication, Jan 2010
"Magnolia" flyer for Steel Magnolias play production - APR 2010, Little Egg Harbor Theatre Co.
Cover Art "Peaches" for GA Dept of Agriculture Directory 2009 and Annual GA Made GA Grown National Gala
Cover Art (3 Daisies) - PEO, Chapter HP, Hutchinson KS Yearbook, 2009
Adcetera (Nautical Art) - Article - Summer 2009
The Bayonet, Ft Stewart GA Newspaper July 2009
Playground Magazine, Columbus, GA June 2009
Decor Magazine - May 2009
Genesis Magazine - Atlanta - Featured Artist - Fall 2009
Bravado - Australia - Issue 8 - 2009
Aroostook Review - Summer 2009
Healing Muse - Volume 9 - 2009
63 Channels - Spring 2009 - Cover Art
The North Shoreian - Volume 2 - Issue 2, March 2009
The Delinquent - Issue 8 and 9- 2009
Media Cake Magazine - Winter 2009
Heartland Review - Winter 2009
Read This Magazine (UK issue 15) 2009
Quercus Review - Issue 9, 2009
Birmingham Alabama Arts Journal 2009
Monongahela Review 2009 - Issue 3
Distillery magazine, Motlow State College, Tennessee JAN 09 and JULY 09
The Big Book of Contemporary Illustration, Anova Books, Chapter 2, 2009
Cerulean Rain Issue #3, 2008
Eccentric Pets Magazine, 2nd issue, OCT 2008
Pens on Fire, OCT 08
Lorelei “Twenty-Two” Short Story Illustrations by Sarah Ashwood Oct 2008
Art Space, Issue 1, July 2008, Cover Art and Featured Artist
Seminole Florida Womens News, July 2008
Art World Project Charity Conglomerate, Europe, 2008
Watercolour Gazette, Issue 16, Nov/Dec 2007, Magazine Published in Canada
ATC Quarterly, Issue 8, Winter 2007, Art Trading Cards Magazine Published in Canada
Watercolour Gazette, Sept/Oct 2007, Issue 15, Magazine Published in Canada
The Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, October 2007, Volume 3, Issue 2
The Artists Bluebook, 2005, AskART.com Inc. - Dunbier, Lonnie Pierson (Editor, 479 pages)
The Eclipse, Poetry about Art, USA, 2002
LIA, Life is Art Magazine, USA, Aug 02
Lighthouse Magazine, United Kingdom (June 04)
Skyline Magazine (May 04)
Shadow Poetry Quill (March 04)
New Works Review 3 issues (March 04, July 07, and Oct 07)
Ken Again Literary Magazine 4 issues (May 2002, Winter 2003, Fall 2005, and Fall 2007)
Painted Poetry - Poetry about Art (2002)
Voices (Spring 2002)
Perpetual Magazine, Featured Artist, March 2008
Earth Stories, Pachamama Press, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Summer 2004)
Contributing author, TOC in Combat, Infantry Magazine, 2003
Contributing author, Prepare a Mechanized Infantry Task Force for Combat, Infantry Magazine, 2004
Decorating a Room Around a Piece of Art - (Article) by Rhonda Morin, The Decorating Bible
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