John Grasso Art. Figurative Abstract Series

John Grasso (Australian, b. 1970)

Crimson Reverie, 2026

Oil on canvas
80 × 50 cm
Signed lower left
Accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity

A richly expressive contemporary abstract by Cairns-based Australian artist John Grasso, Crimson Reverie is an immersive study in colour, gesture and painterly movement. The composition is dominated by a sophisticated spectrum of rose pink, mauve, crimson, burgundy and lavender, with delicate passages of pale lilac and white moving through the surface.

Grasso builds the image through vigorous, sweeping brushwork, allowing individual strokes to remain visible and creating an unusually active surface. Broad passages of colour appear to fold and intertwine, while darker burgundy marks establish depth and contrast. Across the lower half, looping and horizontal gestures create a rhythmic counterpoint to the more vertical and diagonal movement above.

The absence of a fixed figurative subject allows the work to operate principally through colour, texture and gesture. At different points the viewer may perceive suggestions of petals, foliage, flowing water or atmospheric forms, although the composition remains deliberately non-objective. The result is a highly tactile work that emphasises the physical act of painting.

Grasso describes his practice as embracing a naïve and alla prima approach to oil painting, with particular interest in abstraction, vibrant colour, texture, depth and glaze. His stated influences include Impressionism, Van Gogh and the post-war Abstract Expressionists, including Joan Mitchell and Jackson Pollock.

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.