Diana Grappasonno

http://www.dgrappasonno.com

Statement

I've been painting and doing art for many years, but my education and professional work history are in scientific disciplines. My degree is in Biology and I spent 4 1/2 years working in a crime lab. I have a deep appreciation for scientific methods and environmentalism and my background has affected both the content and the style of my work.

There are many other influences and interests that also shape the direction of my work- philosophy, psychology, mythology, symbolism, feminism, sociopolitical issues, pop culture, current events, and my personal life (many pieces are autobiographical in nature). I spent years (at the lab) examining things very closely to isolate increasingly smaller bits of information. I think this led to a love of layers. I like using scraps of typewritten paper and pictures under a layer of tissue and paint so you have to look really closely to see it. Sometimes these bits have information relating to the content of the painting, but often they don't. The result is reminiscent of urban decay and litter- both literally and figuritively. We're so inundated with advertising messages and information nowadays that our brains and eyes are cluttered with it. I'm also intrigued by the interaction of seemingly unconnected and/or meaningless items and symbols- I think it contributes an element of surreal
ism (and existentialism) to a piece.

I like imagery that is visually striking but also conveys a mood. I like a little ugliness mixed with my beauty. And I like stories. I have a rebellious nature and for that reason, I've started using some craft products in my paintings (tissue paper, glitter, felt, stencils). I'm well aware that my use of glitter might be construed as “kitschy” and I embrace that association.

My goal is to create the artistic equivalent to mole sauce- a perfectly balanced and complicated mixture of numerous elements consisting of form, line, composition, color interactions, lightness and darkness, texture, layers, media, mood/emotion, meaning, and little visual details. I want to cause a reaction on all the parts of a persons' mental tongue.

One of the themes I've chosen to focus on in my current body of work is animals- many are endangered species, while some are common, domesticated or even mythological. I'm interested in exploring human/animal relationships, from both a psychological and an ecological perspective. My intent is to inspire an appreciation for biodiversity, while evoking delight in the visual elements and emotion in response to the content.

My figurative pieces are often autobiographical in some way, but my goal is to capture aspects of the human experience whether it be a mood, a story or an issue I'm trying to work out. My hope is that these paintings will resonate with others who can relate to the subject matter.