Jeff Grassie Art

In my work I bring strong vibrant women alive by infusing powerful colors to create harmony between hope, emotions and reality. I honor women who choose to never ever give up, to conquer their dreams, to show the endurance of all women to overcome when challenged, be strong when weakened, and to achieve all they desire.

When asked the question, why-as a man- would I make the primary focus of my art paintings be of strong women and the challenges and opportunities they endure, to be honest, it was purely incidental. Driving home from work one day I passed the usual beautiful historical house with a sign in front that read "Art Classes". Being a lover of history and old houses, it was the perfect opportunity to see the details and charm of this old house. I had never taken an art class before but I liked to draw as a child so I thought it would be fun. I learned how to mix paints and the basics of painting and drawing. I used pastels and oils for my first few pieces and they were of places my wife and I had vacationed in Nova Scotia. After a little while I decided not to take any more classes. I had a great teacher but was looking for something more.

One day I began drawing some lines on a paper and I let the pencil take on a life of its own, without instruction, rules, boundries, or expectations. The name of that piece was REFLECT. I was invigorated. I felt I had opened my mind and flowing from it were all these ideas I had put on canvas. The pieces SEARCH and LEARN came after that. That April, I was sketching again. When I was done, I didn't have a clue to what I had just drawn. Then it hit me:I had created a strong, vibrant woman. It all made sense;everything on the canvas fell into place. The vertical lines represent the colorful opportunities that are available to women if they transform personal barriers and fears into achieveable opportunities. The green object I had drawn in the left corner became a beacon of light that shines on the woman's beauty, desires, and strength that is inside her and yearns to be seen. I call this piece IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

In time my artwork ALIVE,PERFECTION, and SURVIVOR came to be with just as much meaning and inspiration as the one before. SURVIVOR was created after watching a commercial for breast cancer research. The woman in the painting, who is struggling with breast cancer, looks around the corner and sees her old self, what she once was and in time will be again, but having gained the wisdom of a survivor. The balloons celebrate her courage through difficult times.

As I look back to my first piece REFLECT, it may not be incidental after all that I use such powerful women in my art. As I reflect over the years, I realize the influence that women have had on me especially my wife and sister. They are determined and successful women in many ways and through my art I hope to encourage all women to realize their own potentials and to inspire not only themselves but also all those around them.