Katie Grinell

Blur No. 1

Katie Grinell is a fine artist currently based in Tallahassee. She was born in Indiana and raised in Illinois. She received her BFA in New Studio Practice (Fine Art), with art history and arts management minors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

My work explores memory through abstraction by investigating the relationship between darkroom photography, image capturing, and painting. The inspiration for my work is frequently using personal and found objects as material to reflect on personal memories and connect to shared experiences and topics. Invested in form and material, the use of objects such as flowers, crochet, sequins, and textiles connects my reality and abstract work. My work has discussed memory, feminism, Jewish art and identity, ideas of home, and the influences of the internet. An abstracted environment created from manipulated, personal, and/or relevant found objects is the form my art usually takes (as seen in Blur No.1). The audience may not see a direct translation from the initial inspiration but be immersed in an environment that evokes related emotions.

Artwork Description

Blur No.1 is a digitally composted photomontage of photograms and images of familial objects. Using photograms from a previous series as material, I explore the spectrum of image capturing and photo manipulation and how familial objects can change meaning in the process. Regularly seen are recycled and transformed pieces, gestures, and imagery because the life cycle of my work is not definitive and continues as material.