THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 30, 1994 TAG: 9410270197
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
The rhythm of life is captured by Linda Ritchie Crassons with a fistful of colored pencils. Drawing is her tonic for good health.
``It's like a brain massage,'' says Crassons, 40, whose work is on display at the John DelaVega Art Gallery in Corolla. ``If I go too long without doing something like this . . . you get sick.''
Originating from an interior monologue, Crassons' drawings are watered by a stream-of-consciousness tide. They flow as leaves in a whirlwind.
Billowing skies filled with vaporous birds melt into autumn leaves that drift down to organic carpets. Meandering roots catch the colorful remnants, then, capillary-like, move skyward. From the light and airy to a deep earthy slumber, Crassons' drawings breathe.
Having graduated from Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Fla., Crassons brings to her art a skilled understanding of form, space and vision.
With a lovely Southern drawl, she defines her work that comes from a wordless state. Clarity of speech ebbs and flows and words are omitted, but a clear picture emerges regardless.
``Semi-subjective. Irrational reality. Subconscious surrealism,'' says Crassons. ``I try to be intuitive about my drawings. It comes from deep within.''
While Crassons describes herself as serious about her drawings, oil paintings, collage and some fabric work, she works with spontaneity and whimsy.
``A lot of my work is not rationally planned out,'' she says. ``Sometimes I do a light sketch to get the basic elements out, but my drawings never turn out to be like that basic sketch.''
Trusting her mind's eye, Crassons lets the work lead her. ``A lot of birds come out in my drawings,'' she says. ``Things like that just happen. That's what's exciting.''
Crassons thinks her work is too irrational for some tastes. ``It bothers them. Probably because their life is too rational. They are imposing too much reality on themselves.''
Humor is important to Crassons. She was delighted when both her husband, Ray Ritchie, and their son Andre gave a hearty laugh at her most recent collage.
``What could be better? What's the point of life if you just can't go nuts?'' Crassons said.
Color plays a vital role in Crassons' drawing. She is famous for holding a huge bunch of thick, soft Berol Prismacolor pencils while working.
``They put down some color. You can't erase it,'' says Crassons.
Colors are chosen intuitively. Nothing in her work is monochromatic. Each shape is multi-colored, with various shades of blue, green, pink, purple, orange, yellow and brown. Not solid colors, but layered flecks that float on the textured page in a strangely harmonious fashion.
Crassons surrounds herself with harmonious elements. The family's idyllic homestead is a wooded hide-a-way. Their bungalow is embellished with an unusual scalloped design and surrounded by exotic plants that Ray collects. A pond is filled with silvery white and orange goldfish. Every step one takes is a cautious one, for treasured growth could lay underfoot. This affection for nature is a common theme in Crassons' art.
``There are a lot of trees in my work,'' she says. ``I think through my work I try to get people to see what we've been given, to appreciate it more, to not take advantage of things.''
Even the drawing ``Twilight Time at Pebble Beach,'' which features a cinder-block beach motel, has an organic feel.
``I don't like hard edges,'' says Crassons.
Currently, Crassons is striving to build a body of work for a show. She's won many awards at the local Frank Stick Art Show.
Her portfolio includes architectural renderings; house, people and pet portraits; illustration work and paintings. The peaceful quality of her art and her non-controlling style could easily lend themselves to illustrating children's books.
But whether working for young or old, the effervescence that flows unchecked from Crassons' colored pencils is invigorating. It flows, as does Linda Ritchie Crassons. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY ELLEN RIDDLE
Linda Ritchie Crassons, 40, whose work is on display at the John
DelaVega Art Gallery in Corolla.
by CNB