As my first semester at Marywood University concludes, I found myself reflecting back on why I chose this career path, and what influenced me to dive deeply into art last minute. Was it my teachers? Was it the desire to try something new? While looking back on my past experiences of AP and IB art, I found myself turning to the works of one artist, Marco Grassi.

Why Marco Grassi?

This artist conveys a sense of technical ability and patience that I found to be really inspirational in my endeavors of finding myself as an artist. His ability to incorporate surrealistic elements into a natural work is phenomenal, as such works take months, and even years to complete. It incorporates surrealism and hyperrealism in a way that is novel and revolutionary in the contemporary world of art. 

I started the process of producing still life and rendering form at a late period in my academic career as the concept of taking art seriously was introduced to me in my last years of HighSchool. As a result, the pressure to produce a portfolio and apply to colleges with the intention of being an art major was a relatively formidable task. This is due to the process of developing technical skill, and delving into creative topics usually takes immense time and professional instruction. Thus, early on in my journey to achieving a well-developed portfolio, I found myself using Marco Grassi as a means of motivation in this hectic period.

Life Lessons…

Nonetheless, using Marco Grassi as a primary influence for my work served as a driving factor in the way in which I allowed myself to approach art. Instead of conforming to pressure and producing a plethora of works at a rapid pace, I sacrifice meeting standards surrounding quantity, for the desire to ensure quality. With that being said, I still put in late nights and devote a lot of effort into producing each work so that it is presented in a relatively timely manner. However, I choose to spend time refining the piece and implementing fine details such as dramatic highlights, or subtle shadows before i decide to move onto the next work. In correlation to Marco Grassi, the artist taught me the importance of professionalism. Rather than creating a piece for the sake of fulfilling a requirement, this style influenced me to develop interest in the work and refine it. 

Technical Development…

While much of this artist taught me the importance of patience, Marco Grassi instilled this newfound passion for subtlety of fine details and how minute changes work together to create a bigger picture. Even though a lot of the details can’t be seen from a distance, the artist accounts for subtle variations in skin textures and transitions into surrealistic elements that aid in crafting hyper-realistic works that transform the way in which we perceive surrealism. As a result, the artists work pressures me to continually strive for more technical ability, as well as continue to influence me in reevaluating the way I see natural form.