One of my first memories of being recognized as an artist was in Mr. Snyder’s second grade class. I was six and had completed a pencil drawing of an alligator; my schoolmates crowded around the image ohhing and ahhing with excitement.
The second defining moment came in fourth grade. Sister Joanne, with her thick ankles hanging over her too-tight Oxford shoes, held me after school. She had “caught me” with a simple line drawing of a nude on my homework pad; I stood accused of perversion. My mother, who was called in to retrieve me and the sketch, commented with great praise on the image, and my ability.
These moments had a profound impact: I realized that my talent could be used to conjure emotion within the viewer. I was empowered.
It is not only ability, but also commitment, that makes me an artist. I graduated in 1989 with a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design, located in my home state of Pennsylvania. I have been an oil painter for the past twenty two years, painting plein air and in my studio. I enjoy the buttery texture of the paint, the intensity achievable through its colors, and the smell of the slow drying process. I utilize the characters of the paint to make a thin translucent layer and bold thick opaque brush stroke. Through this medium and a calculated composition, I breathe the life of my subjects onto linen.
I travel extensively to enhance and rejuvenate my vision. My animal images are timeless, spiritual, the essence of being. I paint both wild and domestic animals, with the goal to extract their connectivity to the human world and share it with the viewer. The background is vague, allowing the viewer to create a personal story or journey. The animal’s surroundings metamorphosize over time, adapting to the perceptions of the viewer. This mimics the transformation of the landscape altered through wind, water, and time.
Griffin showed 38 pieces in a one woman STORYTELLERS at the Hub Gallery , Penn State University, University City, Pa. 2011. In 2010, she had a one woman show ARTEMIS at the Dutot Museum, Delaware Water Gap, Pa. Her works have been featured at the Greater Plains Art Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pa., Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, Nj., Everhart Museum, Scranton, Pa., The Monmouth Museum, Lincroft Nj, Allentown Art Museum, Pa. She is presently represented by RARE Gallery, Jackson, Wy. Cody Fine Art Gallery, Cody, Wy. Windrush Gallery, Sedona, AZ., and The Hanson Gallery, Honesdale, PA.
She is am a member of the American Society of Bovine Artists, and the American Plains Artists. Her award-winning work is collected by corporate as well as private collectors from Dallas to Dubai.
