Felicia Griffin: Giving Gifts

This exhibition celebrates Felicia Griffin’s 40th anniversary of working at NIAD, as well as her being honored with the prestigious Wynn Newhouse Award this past year.

Griffin, a mentor to many younger artists in the studio, works across media, including painting, fiber arts, printmaking, ceramics, and drawing.

She can often be found working quietly and meditatively at the Saori loom. Her 2-D abstract works combine vivid colors, lines and brushwork that are energetic, seemingly holding electricity.

She’s also noted her interest in shapes and how she embodies them. “The circle is inside of me, the square too. I see it in the world.”

(The following text is an edited excerpt from a conversation conducted between Felicia Griffin and former NIAD art facilitator Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo. The entire interview can be found in Issue 6 of New Life Quarterly, published by E.M. Wolfman Books)

What would you like us to know about you? Who is Felicia Griffin?

Um, well, I like to come here and have fun and I love my friends and I want to do some more pompoms and I like doing my art.

What are you working on right now?

A pompom. I made two pillows and put pompoms on the pillows.

Why do you like to make art that involves circles? I see that’s a repeated shape in your pompoms, prints, and paintings — where does that circle shape come from?

The circle is inside of me, a square too. I see it in the world too.

You engage with a lot of people while you work at NIAD — how does that relate to your art making?

Yep, I like doing it and um, I like to help out. It makes me feel happy! I started doing this: giving gifts. I go to the cabinet and get pencils and sticks and then I store them in my bag. Well, so at first, I take some things from people or from the cabinet and then, well I just give them away. I am always looking out for who needs help.

Do you consider the Art Center your family?

YEEEAAAAS! Uh, all my friends are here. I care for people here — yes!

Gallery Reception

Saturday September 6

NIAD Art Center

551 23rd Street

Richmond, CA