Craig Gross grew up in a military related family. His grandfather served in the ARMY in WWI in France on the French front as a balloonist! Very dangerous recon. His father was an officer in the Army Air Corp and then in the Army and Army Reserves for 30 years. He had two uncles who served - Uncle Mort Gross was a Marine and his Uncle Don Gross was in the Navy and then the Army as well. Craig served a very sort time in the Air Force in the early 70s and has a medical discharge. Craig's father in law, LT. Frank R. Hankey, served in the U.S. Navy for 29 years. Several cousins and nieces and nephews have also served.
Craig started his journey in the art world as a teen. He joined the Corning Art Guild, located on the 3rd floor of the Hawks Crystal Glass building and studied various forms of art from local celebrity artists such as: Steve Hughey, Al Valerio, David Harris of London and Dan Rupert. At that time, Craig was a devoted surrealist and a devotee of Salvador Dali.