The Hallway of Always: An Anthology of Visual and Literary Artwork of the Late Stephen C. McCrea

By Stephen C. McCrea and Melinda H. Leftridge

As so many of us have ties to someone with mental health struggles, substance use disorder, or who are victims of our country’s current fentanyl crisis, this book will be relatable, yet eye-opening, to most. It is a raw, honest, revelation of the hopes, thoughts, and feelings of someone who suffered from all three. Reading this book will provide a glimpse into the inner thoughts of someone who fought so hard to overcome these obstacles, as well as an opportunity to view a stunning display of the art he created in the midst of that fight.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369405765

Stephen C. McCrea

Stephen Christopher McCrea was born, November 22, 1986, in Kingstree, SC. He was a perfectly beautiful and healthy baby and was the first-born grandchild of both his Maternal & Paternal grandparents. He quickly grew into a precocious, self-motivated child with a wide range of interests, a strong sense of self, and a dogged determination. Whatever he chose to immerse himself into, he always did one hundred percent. From rocks to bugs, from playing baseball to composing poetry and music; whatever Stephen was into, it received one hundred percent of his time and energy. Stephen was a 2005 Honor graduate of Wilson High School. During IB Art classes in high school, he developed a love of abstract art, a passion which he continued to pursue all his life. Stephen’s drive for his art was toward a singular vision. He was not concerned with making something that other people “liked” or “wanted”, he was only interested in creating what was in his head, having it seen by a wide audience, and having it evoke thoughts, or emotions in the viewer. Stephen was a brilliant, enigmatic thinker with an eclectic style in both his personality and his physical appearance. One way to sum up Stephen is unapologetically eccentric. Stephen attended College of Charleston on a partial scholarship. However, after two years, as mental illness made day-to-day life more difficult, he began to self-medicate with pharmacological and recreational substances. Thus began his rollercoaster existence for the next 15 years. Stephen had many relationships, occupations, and residences throughout that time. However, even though his periods of stability seldom lasted longer than a year, he never gave up. Stephen was co-owner of Railroad Junction, an art gallery in the Florence Downtown area when it began its revival in 2011. He happily volunteered at the Art Trail Gallery. He participated in FMU’s International Arts Festival, several competitions and exhibits with the Florence Arts Alliance, as well as The Florence Museum and various events in downtown Charleston. Stephen also loved planning and coordinating exhibits, including PopCult-True Love and PopCult-Metamorphosis. He later was the owner of Prime Livery, an online store specializing in traditional southern men’s wear. On his last day, he was hopeful and planning for his future. Stephen passed away March 15, 2022, in his Darlington County home, after taking what he thought was a prescription pain pill. What he took was a counterfeit pill, fabricated from a lethal combination of cocaine and fentanyl. He laid down for a nap from which he never woke.

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