Gregory Coscia
My paintings rely heavily on metaphoric narratives and recurring symbology to reflect my own experiences and thoughts regarding faith, anxiety, life and death. I emphasize both the positive and negative aspects of these narratives equally, forcing them to be acknowledged and recognized rather than swept under the rug. I believe in the importance of life’s darkness as well as its light and aim to present these counter forces on an equal playing field. While certain symbols act as a placeholder for positivity and joy, others portray negativity and sorrow.
A desire for transparency and overall vulnerability has been the driving force in my recent paintings. I am inspired by the pure honesty of certain creators throughout art history and I strive to contribute to that dialogue of self reflection. It is unarguable that an individual’s art can clue a viewer into their personal outlook and experiences; which is a transcendence I am trying to achieve.
On a technical level, I am painting with a combination of both oil and acrylic on the same work. Both variations of paint have qualities that I love and, for the longest time, I subconsciously kept seperate. Now, however, by working with both mediums at once, I am able to pit these qualities and characteristics against themselves to enhance the visual experience to create a unified image. The mediums’ differing sheens and texture, for example, allow me to emphasize certain areas to dull and obscure as needed to better tell the story at hand.