A Closer Look at the Work of New York Artist Barry Grose

Barry Grose is a largely a self-taught painter, who studied briefly at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and also holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York.

“Ethereal”, “…elegantly haunting…”, and “…saturated with emotion and colour…” are but a few of the descriptions critics have penned to define the work of Barry Grose (pronounced gro-z).

Originally from New York, he travels extensively to promote his work and spends the majority of his creative studio time in his atelier in upstate New York.

A: You have cited Georgia O’Keeffe and Mark Rothko as influences on your artwork describe what your work is and how they influence you?
BG:
Yes, I have always been drawn to the feminine sensuality of Georgia O’Keeffe’s flowers, and the ethereal aspects of Rothko. I felt compelled to merge those sensibilities into the flower series of my work. Nevertheless, subtle references to them can sometimes be experienced in my other work as well.

A:You are largely a self-taught painter, does living and working in New York is this integral to your work?
BG: This is a very good question. As a generalized comment, it seems that everyone loves New York. The key is to get New York to love you back, which it rarely does. Regarding my work, I am best served by short periods of time in New York, with longer periods of time away to address the emotional ‘heavy lifting’ that shapes my work.

A: Your subjects range from landscapes to flowers, Semi Abstracts to portraits why the large range of inspiration?
BG:
This is another good question. The common ‘thread’ is the emotionality of the work. My goal is for the viewer to move comfortably between the range of work, and to feel a similarly impactful emotional responses.

A: Where do you see your work going in the future?
BG:
I am a very romantic person, and romance heavily influences my work. As Oscar Wilde said, “the essence of romance is uncertainty,” thus perhaps the best place to “go” is a very uncertain place.

A: Are there any places that you are yet to show your work that you haven’t had the chance to?
BG: While the venue or region of choice would depend on the work, I have often felt the flower series would suit locations in the Mediterranean, such as Nice, and in the United States, Miami and Los Angeles. Perhaps these locations, in my mind, are highly edited and contextualized, however those are the geographical locations that come to mind.

If you would like to look at any of Barry’s work please go to www.barrygrose.com for his current information. Those interested are always welcome to contact him through the site.

To see his listing in the Artists’ Directory in Aesthetica Magazine issue 61 pick up a copy at www.aestheticamagazine.com

Credits
1. Courtesy of the Artist