The paintings on the boxes have been done with the same concerns and aesthetic qualities as the paintings on canvas and the furniture. If you view them on The Tour with the paintings, they will tell a story of philosophical search.

These have been sold through art galleries as well as high-end retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Stanley Korshak. They were successful in these stores because they are immediately recognizable as a hand painted one-of-a-kind piece, and not something that was stenciled offshore. Each piece is signed and dated.

Mr. Crane is also known for his "Commemorative Boxes". These are boxes that are commissioned by individuals to commemorate a special event in their life. These range from a wedding, special trip, adventure, or accomplishment such as a marathon or whatever is a life affirming event in their lives. He interprets the clients photographs in paintings on the top and four sides of the box. He does not repaint the realism of the photographs, but rather captures the feel and energy of the people and event in an expressionist style. The results are a truly original and personal work of art.

If you are interested in getting more information or talking about commissioning a "Commemorative Box", please call us at 1-866-278-9278 or e-mail: stefancane1@sbcglobal.net

"I enjoy the concept of the painted box, for not only is it an original work of art, but it's functional and can be moved about easily. The early wood boxes were good to develop a unique profile of the box that was distinguishable from all the other boxes out there and was considerably more difficult to build. My box tapers and is elevated by chamfered feet. The corners are a compound miter, which have to be cut perfectly or they will not come together."SC

These are simply "art boxes" for the coffee table or entry hall table. They can hold remote controls, photos, keys or other small treasures. I've also seen them used on a dining room sideboard for silver pieces. They are built of 1/2" thick art board, HDF, which is the most stable material to use for this application. All of the boxes are painted with acrylic paint and then covered with multiple coats of rubbed lacquer. The interior is lined with Spanish cedar which gives a nice aroma when opened and most have adjustable dividers.

Most of these boxes can also be adapted for humidors by simply adding a humidifier and hygrometer. If they are bought as a humidor, we will supply the Credo elements. Of course, the Spanish cedar is the wood of choice for humidors. The lids are attached with a brass piano hinge and supported with a chain.

When we decided to do a series of jewelry boxes, we went to another company that was already making jewelry boxes. These are quite nice boxes with tan suede interiors. They are appropriate for a man or a woman. A handful of the boxes have velvet interior, and these are noted by style.

The jewelry boxes for the most part have more intimate and sensuous paintings than the art boxes, as they are more likely to be in private rooms of the home rather than more public spaces.