Ronnie McGriff Sr., Jacksonville,FL
Member Since June 2011
Artist Statement "About The Artist"
Ronnie Mcgriff a self taught artist found his prowess with the use of colored pencils during his early childhood. As the seventh of twelve children in a working class family, he learned to use what was available. Colored pencils was the minimum that necessity allowed, and Ronnie learned to make it work for him. The result is a spare but dignified style reminiscent of Reiss and Prous. White or Ivory served as the lining of a jewel box in which the head and hands are the jewels .
Like the work of the younger Holbein the eyes arrest the viewers,drawing them into the depth of the emotion what the subject is feeling,and the hands tend to finsh what is usally an intimate portrait."If you miss the eyes you miss the person".The eyes are the essence of the likeness your're after. People studies are his forte, and he is especially drawn to the elderly. Their experience and what they've learned comes through in their eyes.These wise eyes are the light of intelligent lived-in faces.
McGriff's illustrations beautifully capture the essence of his subjects through deft application of lines, textures and color. In many of his technical ability and eye for precise detail resembles that of the late American Illustrator Norman Rockwell, which McGriff says is his favorite artist.
Ronnie has worked construction for more than 30 years as a brick mason ,and he plays the guitar. As with his drawings the work is done by hands, well sinewed,callused hands are the symbols of works, the expression of the life of toil. If captured just right they can tell as much as the eyes. Said by many artist "Hands are the Hardest to Draw" McGriff likes doing them because he say , " I am a handy man ".
His work includes portraits of President Obama and Family, Micheal Jackson's three kids at his Funeral, Sean (P. Diddy) Combs, also scenes of 911 and the Haiti Earthquake.
It can be said that the public debut of Ronnie McGriff "The Artist" came with his participation in public television's Black History Month Art Show in 1993 at it's Festival Park Headquarters, Jacksonville, Florida. From there the show was moved to the Ritz Theatre and Lavilla Museum, where Lydia Stewart is the Curator.
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