Meet Weldon Brown Jr. aka Mr.Krush | Self taught Baker turned painter 🖌

We had the good fortune of connecting with Weldon Brown Jr. aka Mr.Krush and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Weldon, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I realize now that I never took risks, but chose to stay on the sidelines and just go to work, mind my business and pay my taxes. Now I understand that life will pull you onto the floor to dance or pass you by. I didn’t know embracing change was a necessary part of the process for new connections and learning. Thinking differently about approaching the unfamiliar has opened countless doors for me in the last twelve months alone. Which includes this interview with shout out, iam finally understanding some of the laws of the universe. Now I awake with new expectations and gratitude,which I’ve also learned is an important factor and duty of mine.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As of October 15th 2015 I retired from Swagelok company a global manufacturer of all kinds of shut off values and connector fittings. I almost from week one was trained in the order fulfillment service center as a packer and assembly person. In 2013 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was forced to retire early after 15 and a half years with the company. After radiation therapy I was able to return to work for awhile until it was painfully obvious I couldn’t no longer do my job efficiently between frequent and random restroom brakes day after day. Between the search for other part-time work I began to bake pastries at-home to have some cash for gas in the car and to assist my wife with utilities etc. Now as a direct relationship with Gary Jackson I have begun to make meaningful contacts. One of which happened last summer as my young friend and fellow painter Amahd was looking for a venue for his second art show I meet the owner of the space where the art show was held. His name is Larry Lane,and he’s a lover of food ,music and art not necessarily in that order. But it turns out he’s working on projects to get youth off the streets and engaged in programs that might lead to skilled trades. Again Gary Jackson told Larry that I was a baker and to call me as I might be willing to volunteer some time with his partner and baker to develop a curriculum for the his workshop. If that wasn’t enough excitement for me to process. I walked into a Eastside deli and coffee shop shortly after the August art show to grab a sandwich and reconnected with the owner and his wife. Next I know we’re taking about the art show and they asked to see some of my paintings I showed them a few on cellphone, and now I have servaral of my paintings hanging on the walls in the restaurant displayed for all his patrons to view. Every time I think about it I get a feeling of accomplishment and pride. I feel I can use this as a bridge to help me close the gap between me and some of my grandchildren and old acquaintances. I feel renewed strength and optimism as I head towards 75 years of life. My sincere thanks and gratitude to my wife, daughter, Amahd, Gary, Larry and to Greg and his wife at Gourmand’s deli and coffee shop.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the first places would be Greg’s deli and not to see my art work but to grab some amazing food from a menu of the lack I haven’t seen lately. And the month watering Sweet potato Chipotle soup that Mrs.Gourmand makes is to live for. It’s basically a one stop shop if you want a great local or imported beer they have it.And if you’re looking for a great bottle of wine local or imported they have that too. And finally if your a stogie kind of guy or gal they have a selection of cigars that will make a stogie smoker smile. I could go on but you would be pressed to find another sandwich shop of this caliber. Now if you’re a pizza lover and insist on one,I can take you two doors over to the newly opened Valley pizza for a thin crust or traditional meat lovers pizza fast and delicious and no excuses about the quality because Joe or Mike was off today. That’s my story and iam happy to stick to it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife who innocently told the grandson of a long time friend of hers (Amahd) that I was an artist. Somehow they ran into each other and a conversation began and ended with her giving Amahd also a young artist My phone number. He called me in the fall of 2022 and asked me if I would be interested in displaying some of my art work in his upcoming show. Which was his first public art event which was held here in Cleveland, OH on Aug 23 2022. I attended and displayed about seven paintings in the show, one of the paintings had to make reference to the issues of mental health. At that time I didn’t have a lot of pictures, so I immediately got busy buying more paint supplies so I would have a little variety. So Amahd’s first show titled the World Is Yours ART SHOW went off without a hitch. Shortly after the art show I was talking with one of my twin daughters and she was telling me about a recent cruise she was on and how she had met a man on the same cruise who also was an artist. And that artist was Gary Jackson, the same gentleman who thought me worthy of this mention and opportunity to be interviewed by you and the staff at shoutout. I got an opportunity to meet Gary as I layer learned he was back and forth to Cleveland visiting and doing some mentoring. Before long Gary took a liking to me and began to share ideas with me about painting and how I could begin to position myself in this new world of art. So here I am two years later still painting and baking whenever I have a request and it’s not too time consuming. Last year Amahd hosted a second art show and again I was asked to participate in his The World Is Yours ART SHOW on last Aug 23,2023 which I was present for and sold my first copies of four different paintings. That was an exciting

Instagram: Weldon.Brown.737

Facebook: Weldon Brown aka Mr.Krush

Other: I don’t have a website at the moment

Image Credits
Barbara Brown, Amahd Manigault, Val Brown, Gary Jackson, Larry Lane,and Greg &.Andrea Gourmand.