Color can convey more than just hues on a canvas. It can invoke powerful feelings like seeing red in rage or blissfully seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. It can give a heightened sense of personality and character to a piece that bridges the gap between reality and the fantastical. No two artists understand that more than painter Patricia A. Griffin and sculptor Jeremy Bradshaw, who will be embodying that carefully crafted love and understanding with their joint show Living Color.
Jeremy Bradshaw, Winter Blues, bronze, 4½ x 7 x 10"
This collaboration is a true labor of their friendship and admiration for each other’s work. “I’m a fan of her work but I’m a huge fan of her as a person and as a friend,” Bradshaw says of Griffin, who suggested the idea of doing a show together. The title comes from their love for the popular 1990s TV sketch comedy In Living Color, which they feel represents their infectious, jubilant energies that come alive in the wildlife creatures they depict.
Griffin shows off this energy in a piece called Bella Rosa,featuring a grizzly bear amid a wonderful ecosystem of color almost as wild as the nature she encapsulates, aiming to tell a story and not just capture the subject, giving you a glimpse into the animal’s soul in a way that feels personal.
Patricia A. Griffin, 1856, oil on linen, 40 x 90"
For Bradshaw, he strives for something similar with his patina sculptures, capturing the animal accurately, but also wanting to create a character that generates a connection for the spectator to recognize as their own, saying, “If you can create an avenue to connect with people on so many different levels, you know, you’ve done something pretty special.”
In his piece Red Repose, a fox is curled up in a cozy position, almost inviting the viewer to come closer in a way that may not be achievable in the real wild, letting them imagine what it would be like if they could.
Jeremy Bradshaw, Red Repose, bronze, 10 x 18 x 15"
Though their styles and techniques are different—with Bradshaw airing on the side of a more realistic approach and Griffin on the side of whimsy—they both share an affinity for color and its importance in how it can influence a spectator’s interpretation of a piece. “Color is such a part of the uniqueness in both our styles, we felt like bringing awareness to that,” Griffin says.
This exhibition opens at Gallery Wild in Jackson, Wyoming, on September 13 with an artist reception from 2 to 5 p.m.. It runs through September 23. In a statement, gallery owner Carrie Wild beams, “Jeremy Bradshaw’s sculptures exude a delightful playfulness, with his unique use of color in patinas that infuse his works with a vibrant energy. Meanwhile, Patricia A. Griffin’s paintings transport viewers into dreamlike realms with her impressionistic approach to color, creating a symphony of hues that evoke emotions and ignite the imagination. Together, their dynamic collaboration promises an immersive experience where art lovers can revel in the vivid palette and explore the boundless possibilities of color.”
Patricia A. Griffin, Bella Rosa, oil on linen, 72 x 48"
Griffin and Bradshaw look forward to giving gallerygoers a colorful world with a wild twist giving them two points of views that dovetail into something artfully magical. —
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