Marcy Grosso’s life and art embody the bridging of traditional Cuban culture and modern American dynamism: Literate in the romantic Spanish sentiments of the past, yet comfortably situated in the unaccented English currents of contemporary Miami.
Subtly influenced by impressionist masters Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh, Grosso lets her creativity flow untethered. She works solely on black canvases, giving her paintings – lush with fiery reds, browns and ochres, offset by explosions of whites, blues, greens and yellows – a deeply compelling richness and personality. She never uses prior tracing or penciling – directly channels her emotions. Even as she begins a painting, she’s never quite sure precisely what form the final image will take – until it leaps forth from the canvas.
Grosso’s work has steadily earned increasing appreciation as a bold and sumptuous expression of South Florida life and culture. Her paintings have been exhibited in prestigious art shows including the Coconut Grove Art Festival, Art Expo Las Vegas, the Beaux Art Festival and Carnaval on the Mile, Coral Gables. Her many honors and distinctions include a commission by Bank United to create the official Town of Miami Lakes poster. She designed the official 2004 South Miami Festival poster, and the Taste of Miami Lakes poster 2010. She was chosen to create the official poster for The National Center For Farm worker Health. Currently, Grosso's public art sculptures are on exhibit at The Galleria Mall, Ft. Lauderdale, and at The Town Of Surfide, at the entrance to Bal Harbour Shops.
About the artist
What Inspires her?
Paul Cezanne "The Basket Of Apples" 1893
"According to my mother, when I was a small child, I would draw all day long. My love for painting even found its way on the house walls. I was blessed with a very loving mother that never punished me for doing so, but instead praised my abilities and talent.
"Your creativity is not to be held back", she'd say, knowing that one day I would become an artist.
As a young teen, I stumbled upon the famous painting of the Impressionist Paul Cezanne, titled "The Basket Of Apples", and I was mesmerized by his use of thick black lines around the creases of the table cloth. His use of geometric shapes and disjointed perspective brought this piece to life, even if the subject matter was a bit mundane. Looking back now, this piece was a stepping stone in the evolution of my style."
-Marcy Grosso
It all starts with a black canvas
