
2025
Morning Colors
an exploration of dawn
Available March 25, 2025 at 12 pm EST
Acrylic and Pastel on Paper
approximately 5βx5β, framed to approximately 14βx14β
Acrylic and Pastel on Paper
approximately 5βx5β, framed to approximately 14βx14β
Acrylic and Pastel on Paper
approximately 5βx5β, framed to approximately 14βx14β
Acrylic and Pastel on Paper
approximately 5βx5β, framed to approximately 14βx14β

Important Framing Info
Hey there! If you are interested in an original painting, you should know that framing options have changed as of 2024. Read the latest here!
2022-2024
Spinnaker Skyline
(Naval Academy Sailing)
Beloved to sailors and spectators alike, the U.S. Naval Academy sailing team graces the Severn.
This series officially began in October of 2022. I got to head out on the water with the team during my 10+1 year reunion, and have been itching to paint them ever since. I fell in love with not only the beloved views from the water, but also the lesser seen moments- the camaraderie of the pre-sail briefs, the honesty of the trailer full of gear, and the teamwork of rigging the boats for a day on the water.
A year ago, I shared with you part one, and finally the remaining pieces are complete!
This series consists of both offshore vessels as well as some of the small boys... and of course, that light that ties it all together.
2024 Collection
Available April 9, 2024 at 12 pm EST
2023 Collection

2022
Pass In Your Shoes
(Autumn)
A season of defining moments, classic traditions, and of course those leaves, fall on the Yard is buzzing with energy. Its a time where midshipmen commit, once again, to the journey, either officially (with 2 for 7βs) or by simply showing up and putting another foot in front of the other.

2021
Mid Summer
Summer is a time of transition at the Naval Academy. From preparing the newest class of plebes to join the brigade, to exploring communities in the Fleet, or just enjoying the slower pace in Annapolis, this endearing season brings a notable change of pace.

2020
Spring on the Yard
Spring on the Yard is a time of completion, of victory, and of celebration. Itβs an intense and short season which is packed with most of the major milestones of the U.S. Naval Academy.
What happens when Spring doesnβt come?
While painting this series of work, the events of COVID-19 changed life as we knew it. Initially, midshipmen had an extended spring break. But within weeks, the unfathomable occured, and events pined for by midshipmen and families for years dissolved as leaders made hard decisions.
The events challenged me to reconsider what I was doing. Out of deep compassion for those affected by cancellations, I almost stopped. But then, I realized that now, more than ever, the story needed to be told.
From the beginning, these paintings are intentionally vague. Individual features are downplayed so that anyone can look at them and find themselves in the moment. The painting is a success if it reminds someone of a story, inspires them to keep working, or invites them into a moment they may not have been able to experience otherwise.
To the class of 2020: even though you wonβt have memories of these moments (and Iβm so so sorry), I hope you can find yourselves in these paintings.
You made it to the finish line, but you didnβt get to cross. I salute you.
Part Two
Available June 2, 2020 at 12 EST
24βx30β
** This painting will not be available as an original, but prints are available **
24βx20β
** This painting will not be available as an original, but prints are available **
18βx24β
If thereβs one event at sea trials that sums up the experience, it would have to be βwet and sandyβ at Hospital Point.
Part One
18βx24β
May 2, 2011
Midshipmen respond to the capture of Osama Bin Laden. The events of September 11, 2001, were a catalyst for most of our age group to apply to USNA. Days before we graduated, he was captured. The response was unanimous and unforgettable.

2020
Annapolis at Night
Views of the Naval Academy revealed to a select few.
Architecture lit with stunning grandeur, the Naval Academy unveils its radiance intimately. On the Yard, visitors have departed, and itβs a time for hard work... Out in town, the nightlife takes on a different personality.
The USNA after dark splendor is exclusively for those closely involved with the experienceβ midshipmen, staff, family, and beloved sponsor parents.
Throughout these collections of painting, Iβm constantly returning to the often overlooked moments on the Yard.
To see the Naval Academy at night is truly see the Naval Academy.
16βx20β oil on panel
Views of fourth and second wings from the steps of Bancroft Hall
18βx24β oil on panel
This painting will not be for sale with the Annapolis at Night collection, but will instead hang at the Naval Academy museum exhibit from 2020-2021. I felt this larger size and perspective told a really important part of the story that was needed in that extremely curated exhibit.
The walk from Nimitz and Rickover to the Hall is a ritual most mids take nightly. It needs to be honored, as nobody sees you do it. Good work, my friend.
9βx12β oil on panel
I originally painted the smaller version with the intention of exhibiting it at the USNA Museum. After completing the body of work, I realized a different painting (βRitualβ) would fit there better, so there wound up being two of similar views in the same collection

2019
Colors
One flag. One oath. One story. For all.
There is a promise that weaves itself into the story of every midshipman at the US Naval Academyβ¦
An oath. Right hand raised. A commitment made on the first day, then again to follow through two years for seven more, and shortly before the greatly anticipated cover toss. Itβs the common foundation that unites all enlisted, midshipmen, and officersβ¦
The flag of the United States is a visual representation of the constitution the members of the military elect to defend each day. This collection also includes a few classical still life arrangementsβ a nod to how I learned to paint in oil to begin with.
Join me as I wander around Annapolis. Finding threads that tie us together. Some are monumental. Others are ritual. And still others, casualβ¦
But all are reminders of freedom.
All work is oil on panel, individual titles and sizes are noted by each photo.
16βx20β oil on panel
Impressions of the pregame festivities at the annual Army Navy game
16βx20β oil on panel
Midshipmen prepare to retire the colors at the doors of Bancroft Hall
16βx20β oil on panel
Old Glory stands proud in Tecumseh Court by first and third wings
9βx12β oil on panel
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, Choco Tacos, Chili Con Carneβ¦. Whatβs your favorite?
11βx14β oil on panel
Very personal to the class of 2011, this painting depicts the cover signifying βPlebe no more!β on top of Herndon. This was the only time a female βbucketβ cover was used. Days prior, one of our beloved classmates, Kristen Dickmann, suddenly passed away, so we used her cover in her honor.
11βx14β oil on panel
I learned the value of looking confident through claiming unearned Sunday liberty through forbidden plebe lucnhes in the corner of McGarveyβs.
9βx12β oil on panel
Join them every day for the pledge of allegiance!
20βx24β oil on panel
Every year on September 11, flags representing each soul lost line Stribling walk.
16βx20β oil on panel
This particular ensign was flying on my ship during my very first qualified Officer of the Deck watch. My department head gave it to me as a gift, and I have treasured it ever since.
16βx20β oil on panel
In this particular painting, I use oak sprigs as the greenery, giving a nod to a dominant theme in my fine art, found at www.kristincronic.com and alluding to the foundation of a future career built at USNA.)
9βx12β oil on panel
As long as the flag is present, more heads than beds are allowed!
12βx12β oil on panel
Like a hall of mirrors, each wall echoes the opposite with stories of heroism and sacrifice inside Memorial Hall at the US Naval Academy
2019
Granite and Brass
Creative liberty in the midst of order.
Rules and structure are the foundation of safety, good order and discipline, and success in the military.
Theyβre necessary.
In the Fleet, procedural compliance can be the difference between success and failure, even life and death.
But within those boundaries, we have decisions which do allow creativity. Managing people isnβt black and white, and many situations donβt fit neatly into a box. Sometimes a solution requires leveraging some talents and resources you only recognized because you had a conversation on the mid watch with someone new.
Granite and Brass is about the creative liberty available and required out of leaders to make decisions within situations that may not be spelled out in black and white.
Turning Navy rules and creative liberty into paintings
I chose to focus on architectural details because, first, they are just beautiful. But they also adhere to rules that work together for the success of the building:
Structure, material, and design.
In painting them, there are βrulesβ:
Perspective, value, and color.
As I painted views that captured my attention I played with options within those boundaries:
Choosing color combinations that are far from reality but still give the impression of the place
Varied tight and loose brushwork, celebrating the fact that both can communicate a subject
Exaggerating the color I was already seeing through reflections. Notice how nearly every subject in this series is actually βgrayβ or βwhiteβ in real life, but they reflect so many of the colors around them (the green foliage, blue sky, and of course the dramatic influence from Red Beach surrounding Bancroft)
9βx12β oil on panel
This painting takies a look at the view from fourth wing doors to the upper entrance of Dahlgren Hall. Notice the reflection of Red Beach in the doors.
20βx24β A replica of the Wright Brothersβ first plane hangs in the rafters of Dahlgren Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy.
9βx12β
The flags that line the perimeter of Dahlgren Hall represent the states and countries of current midshipmen. At least thatβs what I always assumedβ¦ ;)
9βx12β
The doors entering third and fourth wings are a coveted shortcut taking two years of drudgery to earn. They are everything I hoped they would be.
11βx14β
The corner of Sampson. Itβs one of my favorite views and often overlooked!
9βx12β A view from the steps of Bancroft looking onto the ramp and 4th Wing.
18βx24β
Beautiful colors adorn this elegant view of the Rotunda at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis MD, with a glimpse of the βDonβt Give Up The Shipβ flag in the background.
11βx14β
Impressionistic and colorful, this painting looks down the hall outside the Mahan stage where a piano sits awaiting a midshipman to play.
9βx12β
Looking up at the clock tower of Mahan from the edge of Sampson. An intimate view any Mid who has taken plebe English would recognize.
20βx24β Elegant colors describe this stunning view of the piano in Mahan in soft evening light.
16βx20β The color of granite is gray, but itβs really a reflection of the colors surrounding it. I fell in love with this view of first wing in Bancroft Hall where you see reflections of Red Beach on a sunny spring day.
9βx12β oil on panel
A painting playing with some cheery color relationships and the beautiful rotunda of U.S.N.A.
18βx24β A painting admiring the colomns that make up the βfront porchβ of Bancroft Hall
6βx8β
The infamous wing I happened to room in during plebe summer, 2007. 2-1 still haunts my dreams.
9βx12β
A view of the detail on the front center doors of Bancroft. In colors you didnβt expect!
9βx12β
Sixth wing was my home for four years, and for one year of it I often saw it from the vantage point of Lejeune Hall.
As always, the views are intimate.
If you are currently a midshipman, I want you to just observe every once in a while the incredible place you are living.
If you are a grad, I hope you can remember.
And if you are a family member or fan, I hope you can feel connected to some of the details that get lost in the flurry of phone calls and short visits.
Your Words
I asked for insights from some of you, and got some wonderful thoughts from Karl Smith, a USNA Parent and creator of the blog, My Kid the Mid.
βIf, as a leader, you have multiple options, it will take more than simply following a decision tree to get to the most effective choice. That's because there are always considerations. One of the fundamentals of being a solid leader is to understand motivation, especially the premise that everyone is not motivated by the same things. So if you are charged with motivating a dozen people, who are motivated in a dozen ways, you are going to have to be creative. Why is that? Well, for one, you cannot treat them all the same way if you want maximum production toward the objective. And once you start treating people differently, you're going to have to be creative in the way you handle things, because people WILL notice.
One of my first management positions included handling the photography staff for a mid-size newspaper. I quickly learned that the two photographers were motivated in very different ways. For one, the more I heaped praise upon him, the harder he worked and he produced better and better images. The other photographer needed to be constantly challenged and when did that, the results were always positive. I had to find a way to do that in a way where it didn't look like I was being "too easy" on the first and riding the second. That takes creativity.
Creativity plays a role in managing up and sideways, too, which are critical elements of leadership, as far as I'm concerned. Sometimes it's about understanding how others work and adapting. For example, I've had more than one person above me in organizational charts that simply would not support any idea that was not their own. So in order to get support for initiatives that I believed would help reach organizational goals, I often had to explain the initiative in such a way that they would essentially think it was their idea. Some would consider that manipulative. My take is that as long as you aren't being malicious and/or deceitful, and you are truly keeping the organization's objectives in focus and acting with integrity, you are exercising creative leadership.β
If you have any insight youβd like to share, Iβd love to hear from you!
2019
The Dark Ages
The glimpses of beauty in the darkest of days.
If a plebe has to remember the "days until" something, it is likely a much anticipated event.
Herndon
Ring Dance
Graduation
Christmas Leave
Spring Break
Plebe Parents Weekend...
But what about the other days? The monotonous rhythm of work, formation, outers, and sometimes, sleepβ¦
The time where it's just showing up, doing the work, going to class, missing your child or sister or boyfriend, getting yelled at, doing the yelling, adjusting to a new normal of military acronyms and unpredictable schedules... The days you are actually doing the counting.
What about those days?
Isn't there beauty in those too? Isn't there something to be appreciated in the in between times?
Where the growth is actually happening...
Where we are learning how to be officers...
Or watching our children transition from barely being old enough to drive a car to very very soon, handling a 9000 ton warship mere yards from an oiler?
Learning to make decisions that are hard, and to sacrificially take care of the people that have been entrusted to our care?
Those days are important.
The Dark Ages are a time at the Naval Academy not always welcomed. Following the return from wonderful time with loved ones during holiday leave, they embody the thickness of studies and military grind with the reprieve of summer still too far away. Events are sparse, visitors are few, and everyone is wearing black, which just adds to the heaviness of the season. They echo Fleet duty days on Tuesdays, the countless hours spent training for quals that feel like theyβll never come, or the paper chain of βdays untilβ someone special comes home which still wraps around the kitchen.
But thenβ¦
The snow has fallen, and the sun rises.
Itβs illuminating Stribling as if to promise it will all be worth it, and there is something lovely about it allβ¦
Even if βtodayβ does not contain a cover toss, a Herndon climb, or a homecoming.

2019
Plein Air
HONEST OBSERVATIONS CAPTURED IN REAL TIME
Plein air painting is art created βin open air,β or on location. It is a thriving genre of art right now, and is a different kind of painting. It involves packing and carrying gear, setting up on location, interacting with the public, traveling (often), and dealing with the elements.
Itβs fabulous, challenging, and connecting. Paintings are done in one sitting and rarely touched up after completion. They are honest observations of a moment that was not planned.

(I forgot the white)
6βx8β oil on panel, plein air, from the rooftop of my airbnb, during naptime
6βx8β oil on panel, plein air, from the view of the Navy Lodge kitchen window on the Yard
(just because itβs inside doesnβt make it not plein air :))
2018
Watercolors of the Yard
Highlighting the beauty thatβs invisible when youβre pushing your limits
The Yard is a beautiful place when you can pause and take notice. These watercolors highlight the beauty of the US Naval Academy campus than can pass you by when youβre in the thick of it.
2019
Still Life Paintings
Story in the eye of the beholder
Classical storytelling with composition, brushstrokes, and paint instead of words. Some may identify these with a loved one. Others, see it as part of their present or their past. Regardless of your USNA link, youβll find a story that rings true to you in these still life paintings.
This is your USNA story. Iβm just the messenger.
16"x20" oil on panel, 2023