Visual and Traditional Art by Christine Greyson
Christine Greyson, multidimensional artist; collection of oil paintings, watercolors, charcoal and illustration works.
The Carrion Peddler. A gritty charcoal sketch of a skeletal, undead crow standing upright in an anthropomorphic posture. The bird wears a battered top hat, giving it the appearance of a wandering vagrant or an old-timey snake oil salesman. Its feathers are ragged and hang like a tattered coat, and its skull is exposed, revealing a sharp beak and hollow eye socket. The style is rough and expressive, evoking a Southern Gothic or dust-bowl mystery aesthetic.
Keeper of Secrets. An expressive watercolor painting of a black crow in profile, holding a large, ornate skeleton key in its beak. The bird's feathers are rendered with loose, sweeping brushstrokes that trail off into ink splatters, suggesting movement and fluidity. The background is a soft, misty wash of blues and grays, creating an atmospheric sky. The crow’s yellow eye gleams brightly, focusing on the key, symbolizing the unlocking of secrets, new opportunities, or hidden knowledge.
Lotus and Bone. A watercolor painting of a deer skull featuring prominent antlers, set against a textured blue background evoking the night sky. A soft pink lotus flower blooms from the center of the skull's forehead, symbolizing love and spiritual connection. To the left, a slender yellow crescent moon curves upward. Dark, ink-like drips run down from the hollow eye sockets, suggesting tears or the weight of memory, creating a mood that is both somber and reverent.
Composure. A moody, dark fantasy oil painting featuring a winged angel figure seated atop crumbling, skeletal ruins. The figure faces away from the viewer with their head bowed, featuring long, flowing hair and a draped gown that melts into the misty surroundings. A large, singular white wing rises prominently, glowing against a dramatic background of swirling dark smoke and a fiery orange sky. The architecture below resembles a giant skull or catacomb entrance. The art style is textured and expressive, utilizing high contrast between the luminous angel and the shadowy, macabre environment to evoke feelings of melancholy and gothic romance.
Salvation's Edge. A dark, chaotic oil painting depicting a tormented soul surrounded by skeletal, demonic figures in a black void. A warrior angel enters from the upper right, bearing light and a weapon, seemingly to intervene. While utilizing Christian iconography of salvation and spiritual warfare, the piece critiques the emotional entrapment and agony often associated with religious dogma. The scene represents the darkness that rigid belief systems can conjure, framing the concept of being "saved" as a desperate, painful struggle rather than a peaceful release.
Soul's Escort. A surreal, dark oil painting depicting a luminous female figure emerging from the darkness, standing near the wooden foot of a coffin. Looming directly behind her is a large, stone-like spirit guide or oracle with a lit candle melting atop its head, the wax dripping down its face. The scene is set in a dense, shadowed forest or cemetery with textured layers of green and black. The piece evokes themes of ancient mysticism, the afterlife, and spiritual guidance.
The Thought Collector. A surreal mixed-media illustration of a hybrid octopus-woman creature. The figure has a female torso with blue skin, but her head is replaced by an octopus, and her legs are writhing tentacles. She holds a pink, anatomical brain in one of her tentacles, which is connected to her face by sticky, pink strands. The background features a prominent, rough paper texture with washes of grunge green and grey, giving the digital coloring a traditional, tactile feel. The style is illustrative and psychedelic.
Coiled Knowledge. A textured watercolor illustration of a bright green snake coiled tightly around a vertical, brown magic staff. A single large leaf sprouts from the top of the branch. The background is a warm, sepia-toned wash featuring vertical black ink drips running down the sides, creating an aged, grunge aesthetic. The piece evokes themes of the Garden of Eden, temptation, and nature magic.