We know you single folks are busy. iList Paducah's Mary Thorsby goes on that first date so you don't have to!

September 12, 2010

Michael Crouse

One of our area’s most eligible artists, Michael Crouse has been making art for more than 30 years. He’s the executive director of the Yeiser Art Center, and his art is exhibited all over the world — including in the ladies room at Doe’s Eat Place!

Check out his video, brought to us by Innovations Branding House!

Michael Crouse, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! Here we go!

1. I pretty much made the decision that I wanted to be an artist when I was 19 years old. I have been doing art seriously ever since. I earned my BFA from the Atlanta College of Art and an MFA from the University of Michigan.
   
   
2. I was a full-time professor at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. I’d been there for 26 years and wanted to retire and do my own artwork full-time.
   
   
3. I saw an ad for Paducah’s Artist Relocation Program in Art in America magazine and decided to check it out. I started building my studio in November 2006 and opened my BrokenStone Press business in January 2007.
   
   
4. My specialty is stone lithography. The printing stones are made of limestone and come from Germany.
   
   
5. Once while I was printing one of my stones, the stone cracked and broke into two pieces. I backed the two pieces onto another single element. However, the break between the pieces was still obvious. So, I used the two sections of the stone as a compositional device for creating new, two-part images. These prints have been well received.
   
   
6. Yes, you can see my work in Doe’s ladies room. I like showing in places where I have captive audiences.
   
   
7. The most challenging part of being an artist? Still finding enough time to do my own work.
   
   
8. I’m now the executive director of the Yeiser Art Center. We work to further the development and appreciation of the visual arts in Paducah and throughout the region by providing educational opportunities and activities that help nurture the creative spirit in all of us.
   
   
9. We have an exciting show up right now, featuring the art of Anne Bagby and Christina Bartsch. We invite everyone to stop in and enjoy!
   
   
10. I like to get up early and ride my bicycle, then I have coffee at Etcetera. Depending on the time of day, I’m either at the Yeiser Art Center or I’m at work in my studio. I also like to go to movies, listen to live music and go for hikes and bike rides at Land Between the Lakes or in southern Illinois.
    
    
11. I like to cook and entertain. Read and listen to music. I also like to travel and visit new places.
    
    
12. I do not like to cook just for myself, and I would enjoy sharing quality time and activities with a special person.
    
    
13. I do live with a gal. Her name’s Amber. She’s a Chinese crested dog. She looks like a powder puff. I’ve had her since December 2006. We seem to both have the same temperament and personality.
    
    
14. I think dating is a little like printmaking. One must have patience in developing a print or relationship, be able to react in a positive manner when the unexpected happens and not be afraid to explore new territory to keep the familiar from becoming boring.