People were my favourite artistic subject in childhood; I have an old binder filled with dreadful sketches to prove it. I sometimes present these faded attempts to my students to prove that no matter how laughable their first sketches may be, there is yet hope. I begin this gallery with some of my early, teenage portraits, and progress to my most recent.
One of my very first "collections" of artwork was a set of drawings I called "The Crowd." Each drawing focused on an era in American history, fueled by the period dramas that continually waltzed through my imagination.
My enthusiasm has always outpaced my skill, but I still enjoy studying all of my early portraits. My ideas sprang from imaginary places and people, with childhood memories and sibling portraits scattered among.
In my mid-teens, having developed a better appreciation of the real world, I began sketching moments of sibling rivalry and simple friendship. I knew I had captured a bit of reality when Oma burst out laughing at seeing the sketches: "The Boy Who Did Eat His Peas," and "The Boy Who Did Not."
That's not to say I lived entirely in reality... Ideas replaced stories, while mood and meaning influenced colours and shapes.
For practice in portraiture, wedding magazines, worn ragged by my sisters' tireless perusal, provided glamorous versions of the Mona Lisa smile.
People were not my only subject; Theodore is the intrepid teddy bear that lessened my fear of the dark, so of course he deserves recognition. The porcelain figurine was a study in reflection; few drawings since have been as labour intensive as that sketch of a piece of glass.
My first art customers were family members acquiring portraits of my nieces and nephews. I soon realised that if I first painted a charming portrait of a small child, and then showed the parents, the odds were strongly in favour of a sale.
I tried the same strategy on my friends, with less success, partly because they considered their friendship worthy of free art, and partly because they had little interest in seeing their own faces hung up in their living rooms.
Some of my clients have asked for symbolic portraits, infused with powerful meaning, lively colours, and ethereal light. I always appreciate imagination, especially when a client trusts me enough to request that I paint their vision. Although it is challenging to paint without reference photos to inform my progress, the process demands a rejuvenating level of thought and creativity.
Whether a classic headshot or a casual scene, portraiture offers a glimpse into another life, another personality, another story. As I draw people whom I have never met, I wonder what they are like, and if we could be friends.
In 2017, I sketched several hunters with their trophies for the Alberta Bowhunter's Association. I presented the portraits at the ABA's annual awards dinner, and learned more about hunting in one night than I had ever known before.
I have also had the opportunity to illustrate several children's books, which required researching period clothing and architectural styles in specific regions, outdated technology, various ethnic facial features, and all kinds of climates and landscapes.
Some of my most poignant paintings have been in memoriam. I am honoured to assist in remembering loved ones.
Portraiture is an opportunity to celebrate those we love.
Most of my paintings and sketches can be reproduced as prints. Email me at dgrisnich@gmail.com for more information about custom paintings, sketches, or prints.
