John Grasso Abstract Art Series

John Grasso (Australian, b. 1970)

Ember Garden, 2026

Oil on canvas
80 × 50 cm
Signed JG lower left

Original artwork
Accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity

Ember Garden is a vibrant contemporary oil painting by Australian artist John Grasso, born 1970.

Executed in richly worked oils, the painting is built from an intense vocabulary of crimson, vermilion, burnt orange, violet, mauve and rose. Vigorous directional brushstrokes sweep across the surface, creating an impression of vegetation, flowers and organic forms while allowing the imagery to move freely toward abstraction.

The composition has an almost incandescent quality. Areas of saturated red and orange are punctuated by cooler violet passages and flashes of lighter pink, producing a sense of heat, movement and depth. Rather than describing a still life literally, Grasso uses colour and gesture to evoke the energy and abundance of nature.

The heavily worked surface is central to the painting’s character. Individual strokes remain visible, giving the work immediacy and allowing the viewer to experience the physical process of its creation.

Ember Garden demonstrates Grasso’s characteristic engagement with vibrant colour and expressive oil painting, occupying the space between contemporary still life, landscape and abstraction.

Artist

John Grasso (b. 1970, Mareeba, Queensland) is a self-taught Australian artist based in Cairns, Far North Queensland. His practice encompasses vibrant abstract and figurative painting, with his work reflecting an ongoing interest in colour, movement, culture and the expressive possibilities of oil paint.

Artist Statement

John Grasso 

My paintings are an exploration of colour, movement and the physical act of painting. I am interested in what happens when layers of paint, marks and colour interact rather than being completely controlled.

I work intuitively, allowing the painting to develop through repeated application, scraping, drawing and repainting. Colour is central to the process. Strong contrasts can create energy, while darker passages provide depth and allow brighter colours to emerge.

My surroundings in Far North Queensland, my interest in Japanese culture and my experience with martial arts have all contributed to the way I approach painting. I am interested in balance, discipline and movement, but also in the freedom that comes from allowing a painting to evolve.

I want the viewer to encounter the work directly—to move through its colours, textures and marks and form their own response.

My practice draws upon Japanese culture, Monet, Van Gogh, Joan Mitchell and Indigenous art, as well as martial arts and Samurai ethics.