David Grossmann
A quiet place
Coloradan David Grossmann describes his work above all else as “quiet.” By this, he means “so much of it is built around subtlety… because my work tends to be very quiet it can be easily overlooked unless people take the time to slow down and observe. I hope my paintings allow that—a chance to step into the work and have that space for contemplation.” His upcoming show, titled Inward, will bring this opportunity to Gallery 1261 from June 8 through 29.
While Grossmann solely paints soft, still
landscapes cloaked in tranquility, he also sees his work as a reflection of his own calm demeanor. “Something that people comment frequently [about my work] is that sense of quiet,” he says. “They also comment on how much my paintings reflect my personality. Even though I paint landscapes, each painting is, in a way, a portrait of myself.”
Inward in particular has provided him with time for self-exploration.
“When I began these paintings, they became a way for me to examine my reasons for being an artist,” he says. “It really became a journey of introspection for me working through what these things mean for me. I hope these paintings will be an opportunity for people to slow down, and contemplate and experience something that is meaningful and beautiful.”
His process—which involves heavily layering and glazing his works, building texture slowly, piece by piece—is one done in due time. After crafting the initial painting, Grossmann lets it sit amongst other works in
progress—typically five to 15 can be found in his studio at any given time. Then, he adds bit by bit to the paintings over several months until they feel complete. “This slow process of letting them develop allows me to have them interact with each other,” he says.
On occasion, he’ll create on location, plein air works. “Because of the intensity those require, there’s a much more spontaneous feel to them,” he says.
Living in Grand Junction, Colorado, with his wife, Kristy, Grossmann is immersed with natural beauty—found in both his own backyard and during his frequent outdoor explorations.
“Some of my paintings are inspired by the view from my studio,” he adds. Since his home studio is perched on the edge of a cliff, “I have a wonderful view of the valley. There’s a sense of openness from it that carries through to these paintings.”
Grossmann also regularly travels to nearby mountain ranges to paint the forests and aspen groves he sees. While his paintings are not a direct portrayal of this scenery, they are a combination of “ideas from multiple places in ways that I find intriguing.” His largest piece for his upcoming show, titled Bright Autumn Patterns, is a prime example.
“I often paint autumn scenes, especially ones with aspen trees, because I’m drawn to scenes that capture the idea of the passage of time,” he says. “For this painting, I wanted to capture that fleeting time of the year for aspen trees, right before their leaves change before fall. Because it’s fleeting it makes it even more beautiful.”
The allure of the passage of time is something that Grossmann depicts often. “I’ve been adding more birds to my paintings because they add that sense of motion and that sense of time passing quickly and trying to capture that flight and movement is really inspiring to me,” he says.
Another element he likes to incorporate in his work is deer, the focal point of his painting Summer Forest Patterns. “I see them frequently when I’m out in the forest,” he says. “To me, they have become really symbolic of the forest and that sense of quiet and mystery I feel there.
“I always hope that my paintings will be a reminder of what is beautiful and peaceful in our lives,” he continues. “That’s why I really paint landscapes—because when I’m out in the landscape is when I feel most at peace.”