Marion Griese completed a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Toronto in 1992. After travelling and working in Europe, she studied jewellery 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 consequently may inspire a piece of jewellery. Other times, the jewellery may spark ideas for a painting. She has a deep appreciation for balance, proportion and colour 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.
My approach to painting is intuitive, yet also imbued with my years of studying art and design. Whether I turn to the natural or the urban environment for inspiration, I am always looking for a dialogue between colour and form. I am so interested in how notes of colour can play off of one another to transport and even transform us. My current work begins with lines rooted in organic shapes to form the structure of the composition. Sinuous lines intersect across the canvas to reveal shapes which are then given colour from a palette I observe around me, or sometimes draw from the hues of memories, poetry or music. The intertwining of the creative challenge and sense of serenity I experience when composing my paintings is what I find most compelling and rewarding.
