Irwin Crowe (1908 - 2003) was born in Port Hedland, Western Australia. Interested in art as a child, parental opposition pushed him, however, into the family farming business. He left this during the Depression, and unsuccessfully prospected for gold. He studied mining in Kalgoorlie, and served with the Royal Army Engineers in World War II.
A rehabilitation course in Fine Arts at Melbourne Technical College after the war led to teaching work. The 1950s and '60s saw him winning art prizes, and executing commissions for various Anglican Church bodies in Perth.
His work is in private and public collections in Australia and overseas, including the Holmes a Court Collection, the University of WA and Monash University in Melbourne.