Richard Grassi is a native of New York who has been living in Hokuriku, in north-central Japan, since 1991. He is the recipient of painting awards in both the United States and Japan, and his paintings, prints and drawings have been exhibited in Asia, Europe and North America.
Richard's artwork and writing have also appeared in a book he wrote some years ago, entitled 'A Scilbbled Response' (Art Kikaku Press), and in various other publications.
His beautiful drawings in the present book of the Cotswolds has delighted many thousands of viewers at Japan’s Twenty-first Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Grassi says that when he visited England in 2008 - "I received daily doses of peace and contentment during my casual strolls in the Cotswolds, so I hope my drawings will reflect those same feelings back to my viewers".
Richard Grassi executed these Cotswold drawings in a uniquely compelling way, blurring the lines between realism and surrealism.
He says of his art......
Over the years, I have employed both abstract and non-abstract structural formats in my artwork, and the variety of subjects and techniques found in my landscapes, floral pictures, portraits and nudes attest to the multiformity of my interests. However, despite this apparent diversity of style and format, I believe that most of my drawings and paintings have several points in common.
Nearly all my artwork reflects, however imperfectly, my fascination with Beauty, and especially that quintessentially Japanese nuance of it known as yugen (which encompasses mystery, profundity, and subtlety). For I seek artistic and spiritual passage through the frenzied banality of our age, and yugen provides a sense of direction. Like a guiding star, it leads me onwards, reminding me of humanity’s divine capacity for kindness, love and hope - and of its capability for sublime creative achievement.
You can view Richard Grassi's Drawings at the following Cotswold Places to Visit locations on this website to give you a contextual feel:-
|