Marion Griese
Marion Griese completed a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Toronto in 1992. After traveling and working in Europe, she studied jewelry art and design for two years at Vancouver Community College. These two art forms have allowed her to explore ideas and concepts from different angles. A found object may inspire a painting, which in turn may inspire a piece of jewelry. At other times, the jewelry may spark ideas for a painting.
She has a deep appreciation for balance, proportion, and color, and looks to both natural and urban forms for inspiration. She is currently focusing her time on a new series of abstract paintings. Marion Griese resides in the Niagara area of Southern Ontario with her family, where she teaches art to young children.
Artist's Statement
“My work is orchestrated with a collection of colors, shapes, and lines that have caught my eye as I move through daily life. Over time, these elements have slowly become the vocabulary I use to tell my stories and give shape to my personal impressions of the world around me. My hope is that my art becomes a space for the viewer to transcend the moment and experience a sense of relief and inspiration, much like a favorite piece of music might. I like to think of this as a small gesture: my way of repairing the world in a complicated time.”
Marion Griese
www.mariongriese.com
What initially sparked your interest in art?
I was lucky to grow up in a home with parents who fostered creativity and curiosity in their children and where many forms of craft were practiced and explored. It was there that I learned that creativity - giving voice to our experiences through creativity - is an essential part of being human and connecting with others.
What connects your work together and what keeps you creating?
The act of painting is always a journey. It is my love of arranging shapes of color and orchestrating a composition that sings, that propels the journey forward and what I find most satisfying about the work I do. The hope is that what I create will breathe life into a space, in the same way that music can color a room. Although the results are different with each painting, my work is always rooted in my deep appreciation for the natural world around me.
Describe your work using three words.
Bold, colorful, and modern.
What are you most proud of as an artist, whether it's a specific moment or who you are as an artist?
I’m proud that I am able to share my knowledge and love of art through the paintings I create, as well as through the work I do as a teacher and a parent.
If you could be in a two-person exhibition with any artist from history, who would it be and why?
I have long been intrigued and drawn in by the colorful, poetic paintings of Paul Klee. His views on abstract art and the analogies he makes between music, nature, and art have resonated with me. I have often wished I could have attended one of his lectures!
