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Grant Garmezy
Grant Garmezy
Richmond,
VA
Medium:
Glass Featured Artist
“I am drawn to depicting animal imagery when sculpting,” says Grant Garmezy. “I’ve been surrounded by animals my entire life, and I’m in awe of the simultaneous simplicities and complexities of the natural world.
“As for using glass as my chosen material, I was immediately drawn to its elements of viscosity and heat, and the absolute difficulty of working with it! Working with glass is a lifelong challenge that constantly allows me to develop new techniques,” he explains.
“Glass has a tendency to look stiff, but my goal is to capture expression and movement in the work. Another element of the process that I enjoy is the teamwork required. Most of my work requires two to five assistants to create, and I thrive in the social working environment.”
Get to know Grant better:
Titles of works can be descriptive or clever or totally unrelated. What's your favorite title of a piece you've named? Why?
I love all animals, not just the commonly accepted ones. Vultures are no exception. They get a bad rap, but they are fascinating creatures. They play an important role in our ecosystem by cleaning up carrion before it leads to disease. They prefer fresh meat, but are the only bird that eats meat, but doesn’t kill its prey. They’re highly social birds, and even lead each other to their next meal! A group of vultures eating together is called a “wake,” and that is the title of one of my pieces that depicts multiple vultures together.
If you had to switch mediums, what kind of artist would you be?
I think I’d excel working in a kitchen as a chef. There are so many similarities - the heat, the timing, the urgency, the physical and mental demands, and of course the teamwork!
What is your greatest extravagance?
Because my career requires me to travel abroad, I take every opportunity to explore the areas I’m called to. After each stint demonstrating or teaching, I take some time to immerse myself in the area and “become a local” for a while. I rent local houses, eat the local cuisine and soak in the culture of the area. This has given me a greater understanding of and appreciation for other cultures. I try to bring a piece of that place home with me - be it through a piece of art, way of thinking, meal, or cocktail. One important takeaway from my travels abroad that remains with me is to slow down and appreciate the here and now.
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