Standing in the forest, the desert, on the beach, these are all places that inspire my art. For me the place is more about feelings and experiences than landscape. The power is in the moment. I am translating that moment, all the sensations and emotions, into my canvas. The whisper of the breeze through the grasses, a flickering of shadows in the quiet, or the dampness that seeps up from the sand while the sound of the sea pulls all thoughts from your mind. Where I am both physically and spiritually becomes vital. What I see becomes secondary to what I feel. Perhaps this philosophy sounds contradictory and maybe it is. But you will see it in my artwork too. A contradictory sense a place forgotten and familiar, chaotic and comforting, microscopic and cosmic. It's part of my journey.
To be surrounded by nature, feeling, hearing, smelling life all around oneself, it feeds the soul. Those experiences are the catalyst. I take them back to the studio and they become energy, they become freedom, they become my art. I want the viewer to feel those emotions, to glimpse that moment in time with me. By refusing to dictate the pictorial scene, the opportunity is there for the viewers to experience the juxtaposition of texture, color, depth, and form. A chance to walk a path, unknown and undiscovered yet familiar.
Memorial Hill 1
Memorial Hill 2
Memorial Hill 3
Memorial Hill 4
Memorial Hill 5
Q: How did you come up with the theme for your BFA project?
A: I don't think I would consider my work to have a theme, but more of a style. Over my years at UVU my artwork just seemed to evolve into what it is today. It wasn't easy, there was a lot of soul searching, and letting go of old ideas that got me to where I am today.
Uinta 2
Uinta 4
Uinta 5
Uinta 6
Uinta 7
Uinta 8
Q: What drew you to this medium?
A: The day I picked up a tube of paint, it was all history. I enjoy other mediums, but painting is where my soul feels free.
Tony Grove 1
Tony Grove 2
Tony Grove 3
Tony Grove 4
Tony Grove 5
Q: What was the hardest part of your BFA project?
A: Covid. I just had to throw all my expectations out and learn to "roll with the punches" as they say. Getting supplies took months at times, and some things are still out of stock. At one point we were under quarantine and I ran out of white paint. How do you paint without white?! Well I learned to. Even now we are making the best of a bad situation with an online show.
Uinta Accordion Book (front)
Uinta Accordion Book (view A))
Uinta Accordion Book (view B)
Uinta Accordion Book (back)
Q: What artists have influenced your work?
A: It's hard to pick just one. So many of the Modernist had ideas that resonate with me. Clyfford Stills, Gillian Ayres, and Frank Stella are some of the artists that continue to inspire me.
High Uinta X
High Uinta XI
Q: What was the process you used to create this body of work?
A: I would consider my paintings a mixture of a few different styles, but I love to use texture and to build up layers and depth in my surfaces. I also have Monoprints in my show, both Moku Hanga and Gel-plate processes were used to create these.
