Gregory Grenon
We are excited to announce an exhibition of new paintings by Gregory Grenon, one of the most recognized and well-followed artists in the Northwest. For this exhibition, entitled Life is an Awkward Dance, Grenon continues his study of human character and gives us a glimpse into his understanding of the people he paints. His approach to the human form is incredibly honest. In his words, his images reveal “personal places of the heart verbatim.” These mostly female images are portrait-like in their outward engagement with the viewer. They are strong figures, haunting and frank. He paints directly on the surface of glass, a European folk tradition he combines with contemporary subject matter—expressionistic figures rendered in bright and bold colors. He chooses frames made from eclectic sources: old doors, windows, or even a car windshield, and works their shapes into the design of each piece. These striking paintings show us a dynamic range of intensely expressive characters, revealing the thoughts and internal rhythms embedded within.
Gregory Grenon grew up in Detroit where he studied at the Center for Creative Studies. After a stint in Chicago, where he furthered his printmaking skills at Landfall Press, he moved to the Pacific Northwest. Throughout his career, he has had one-person exhibitions throughout the region as well as in New York, Chicago, Boston and New Orleans. He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oregon Arts Commission. His work is in numerous private and public collections including the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Salem, OR; the Portland Art Museum; the Seattle Art Museum; the Tacoma Art Museum; the Boise Art Museum; Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, OK; and New York Public Library.