Derrick S.Grant
Artist’s Statement
As an artist I bring both my scientific background (anatomy and cell biology) as well as education in art and fuse these concepts in a novel and innovative way. My art borrows elements from renaissance art and surrealism and these essential concepts are then combined using computers and traditional painting to give birth to a revolutionary approach to visual interaction with the canvas. I consider myself a digital painter that uses the computer as a tool to enhance the standard paint medium to include intense colors and reflective surfaces so that the viewer of the art piece enters the story illustrated on canvas. My approach to art is to illustrate with passion, this renaissance/surrealistic visions and cerebral dreams and apply scientific principals to traditional painting in order to revolutionize the interaction one (the viewer) has with each allegoric piece.
When creating this original art, my intention is to involve the observer, as much as possible, in the story being portrayed by the art piece. Therefore, every piece is thought of, and created by imagining the final canvas as a three-dimensional creation (as if one were to peek into a room) that draws the observer into the story. This is why a reflecting sphere is always present within view of the person looking at the piece. Additionally, I want the observer to feel the emotion of the characters illustrated in each piece, thus, the figures do not wear clothes and their bodies are composed of a network that reflects their nature (result of life’s effect on the body) and emotional condition. For example, a figure with a disorganized mesh indicates an unstable person, if the character’s color is red then the figure is passionate, if blue then the figure is withdrawn and cold.
Based on this prologue, this is why I use 3D computer programs that employ forms created within the potential 3D space of the computer monitor. After arranging the structures within this space, I paint the contents digitally (called mapping), determine the lighting and atmospheric conditions, then direct the computer to render (create from a 3D mathematical function to 2d pictorial realization) the image. This rendered image is then taken to a photo manipulation program where lighting, shadows, and colors are modified to satisfy my creative needs.
Finally the image is then taken to a painting program that allows me to use a pen-like mouse to draw structures on the image; i.e., hair, water, sand, leaves, and skin textures. The final image is then printed on canvas or on paper with Epson Chromium long-live inks. In the case of the canvas further painting is done (after several coatings of polyurethane) with either acrylics or oil to intensify the colors, make corrections or to bring out the nuances (skin, hair, water foam, trees) in the piece and to increase the interaction of the reflected light with the surface of the canvas. This approach results in an art piece that feels similar to the Renaissance artwork yet has a mixture of the Surrealist approach with a modern feel of highly reflective lights and potential images (seen in the spheres) in that reflect information to the viewer.
It is my goal to impact the emotion of everyone who sees my work so that the initial viewing affects their mind and heart before they can perceive the visual aspect with their eyes. I believe that art can touch us this way and be a messenger directly to the subconscious. Currently I am exploring the nature of African Caribbean people and their search for an identity beyond the diverse cultural/ethnic mélange that comprises our many islands and force us to lose who we really are. Please see the attached examples of my work.