Sheridan Grippen

Sheridan Grippen is a Portland sculptor, painter and art activist. I believe strongly in working gesturally when I create. I rarely plan my approach. Instead, I find a certain compelling energies in the things, actions, shapes and colors that move me in the particular moment I find myself. I then sketch it as fast as I can. Later, I digest over a period of time what I saw and what I captured in those sketches. Eventually I have a "voila moment" and I begin to work rapidly with what I have at hand in my small studio based on my sketches. And I always work with music in the background.

I do a great deal of figurative work. And over the past few years I have visited dance studios around town to sketch break dancers, hip hopsters, fencers, capoeiristas, salseros, belly dancers and tangueros while they are on the dance floor attuned to and moving their bodies together to the "compas de la musica." It's both a lovely workout for the dancers as well as this artist. And, yes, I tend to sweat as much as they do. I have found that the act of capturing live dancers is the best exercise I can do as an artist to inform my creative processes.