John Grasso Art. Still Life Series
John Grasso (b. 1970)
Floral Gathering, 2026
Oil on canvas
53 cm × 35 cm
12 oz canvas
Signed lower left “JG”
Original artwork
Accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity
In Floral Gathering, John Grasso presents an exuberant contemporary still life in which flowers, foliage and vessels become a lively network of colour and gesture.
Purple, orange, yellow and rust-coloured blooms rise and fall across the composition, their elongated stems creating an energetic rhythm against the softly luminous pink-and-cream ground. Rather than treating the flowers as precise botanical specimens, Grasso allows them to dissolve into expressive brushwork, capturing their movement, fragility and abundant character.
The arrangement is anchored by richly worked vessels, whose deep blues, greens and purples provide a strong counterpoint to the brilliant floral colours. Thick, spontaneous strokes remain visible throughout the surface, giving the painting a tactile quality and allowing the process of painting to become part of the subject.
The result is a vibrant and atmospheric floral still life — simultaneously decorative and expressive — in which colour, movement and painterly texture take precedence over strict realism.
The work reflects Grasso’s broader interest in expressive colour and energetic mark-making. His practice is associated with Far North Queensland and draws upon diverse influences including European painting, Japanese culture and the tropical environment around Cairns.
Artist
John Grasso (b. 1970, Mareeba, Queensland) is a self-taught Australian artist of Sicilian heritage, based in Cairns, Far North Queensland. His practice encompasses vibrant abstract and figurative painting, reflecting an ongoing exploration of 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 contrastscan 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.