Gary Steven Groves is a multi-media artist who creates paintings, works on paper, and photographs. As a painter, he uses acrylic paints, employing a minimalist approach to express his subjects. His works on paper evolved because he needed a more efficient way to create his paintings. The photographs were taken with a Diana camera.
His inspiration stems from diverse sources, including personal experiences, reading, music, discussions, and scientific ideas. When he paints, he uses brushes on canvas, sometimes starting with minimal preliminary sketches.
Over time, his painting process slowed, sometimes causing him to change his mind midway through the work, which led him to overpaint or scrub the paint out entirely. To address this, he began using colored paper, enabling him to quickly cut out shapes and choose colors and compositions. These ‘studies’ became the foundation for his paintings and can stand alone as independent works of art.
Gary Steven Groves used the Diana camera to create the images in his store. The Diana was a poorly constructed camera, cheaply made in Hong Kong in the ’60s, and served as a giveaway novelty in the U.S.
Mr. Groves began experimenting with the camera in school. “The Diana gives a Pictorial effect to photography with a soft and impressionistic effect. The cheap plastic meniscus lens, ill-fitting parts, and other issues cause light leaks, uneven light, and circular impressions that create dramatic effects,” says Mr. Groves in response to why he still uses the camera. He created a layered effect in the final image by using the double exposure technique. The final product is an archival pigment print.
