About

Jan Crews is a multi-faceted individual (but then, aren’t we all?!). This website focuses on my artistic endeavors. If you like my writing, you might enjoy following my rants and raves on my other blog, Amazing Adventures (infrequent posting since my fall and broken wrist in late November).

Personally Speaking

I am a transplanted Southerner and Youngstown resident since early 2008. My home is a 1927 center-hall Colonial on Youngstown’s northside that always needs just one more thing to be repaired. I work from my home office, which usually includes a cat on the windowsill. Free time includes playing the piano, singing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, spending time with two beloved grandchildren, and hanging out with my Significant Other and our great group of friends.

Artistically Speaking

I started sewing when my mother enrolled me in a Singer sewing class at age 13. My mother always sewed and made my graduation dress and recital dresses throughout high school and college. I have loved visiting arts & crafts fairs throughout my life. In my early 50s, I had the opportunity to take classes to learn all these art forms. I’ve studied, with passion for each: sewing; quilting; fabric dyeing; glass (cold: stained glass and mosaic, warm: fusing and slumping, hot: lampwork beadmaking); pottery (hand-building and throwing, although the wheel doesn’t really like me); beading, bead crochet, and jewelry-making; knitting; felting and fulling.

What I’m learning lately about myself is that I love learning new things, rather than perfecting any one technique. I love sewing a T-shirt from a pattern and figuring out all the ways to make the resulting garment my own. I love finding projects that my grandchildren would love trying. I am especially entranced by off-loom beadweaving (Peyote stitch, brick stitch, and so on) and silk dyeing.

Professionally Speaking

I have enjoyed a career as a writer and editor specializing in technology and legal issues. For the past five years I’ve focused on web content for a variety of companies, including two years as web editor-in-chief for IBM storage division. I hold a B.S. in computer and information systems from University of Maryland University College, College Park, MD, and a J.D., specializing in transactional law, from Washington College of Law, American University, Washington, DC. I am the author of A Guide to the Hatch Act: Law and Procedure, published by Dewey Publications in 1993.

At the same time, I’ve had a less active career as a professional pianist. I am currently the accompanist and music director for the Young Artist program of Youngstown’s Opera Western Reserve. We visit local elementary, middle and high schools, introducing the students to opera.

You can reach me at jancrews (at) gmail (dot) com.