About Black Phoenix

Black Phoenix Artistry was founded in 2018 by local Virginia artist Cory Crane. As long as he can remember, Cory has had a deep love for creativity. Cory spent years chasing after creative outlets in the form of wood and metal working, music, clay sculpting, drawing, and even writing. But none of these satisfied his urge to create something more meaningful. Although Cory took many classes in school for artistic design, he never found that any one artistic medium compelled him beyond a basic interest; that is until he discovered acrylic painting. After one of Cory's close friends introduced him to paint pouring and researching videos on YouTube, the flood gates opened. With the help of his crafty and artistic wife, Cory dove headfirst into paint pouring, acrylic surrealism, and eventually landed in his favorite work yet - abstract acrylic painting.

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The name Black Phoenix comes from personal experiences in Cory's younger and adult life. Black - being the color he finds to be the most beautiful, and the most mysterious. It contains an absence of definition, light, or understanding. It holds the most meaning for him because much of his early life was dark, lost, and spent looking for the way out. Phoenix - as the Greek mythological creature, the beast which rises out of the ashes in new life to become an entirely new being. Cory creates his work with this symbolism in mind: that no matter how far in the dark, you can rise above it and become new.

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Cory is heavily influenced in his work by creators such as John Beckley, Edgar Allan Poe, and August Burns Red.

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Cory currently lives in Richmond Virginia with his wife, Ginny, and their son, Redford.