“Rocks, some weighing ounces, along with clay and silt form beds weighing tons,” says painter Janet Grissom. “They form the routes that move water and are moved by water. The rocky shells of rivers and lakes hold the water that blesses the people and land. As movement happens, rocks soften the violent flow...shift[ing] in minutes or millennia. With each change they record our history. The rocks and water create a dialogue that tells our story that often is documented on the surface of the rocks. Time and time again the rocks take form, encouraged by water and time, the marks and layers offering clues to our existence. I am fascinated by the water ways guarded by the massive rocks, the waterways as they maintain direction, dodging obstacles including rocks.”
Coastal Guardian, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in.
Picnic Paradise, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in.
As Grissom prepares for making marks on her canvases, she tries to relate to the sensibility of the natural world that grasps her attention. This was the driving force behind the paintings Primary Forces, Guardian of the Coast and Picnic Paradise, as well as the following passage by David Leight:
“Rocks are the earth’s oldest guardians protecting the elemental forces that define our planet. From the scorching depths of volcanic eruptions to the gentle weathering of wind and water, rocks leave indelible traces of millennia-long geological processes. Rocks as expressions of the earth’s fundamental protector, represent stability, durability and resilience, serving as reminders of life’s cycle and the eternal dance of creation and destruction.”
Primary Forces, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in.
Grissom has an ongoing exhibition of her work at Hocking Hills Lodge and Conference Center in Logan, Ohio. Visit the artist’s website for details. —
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