20 Dreamlike Paintings By Tyson Grumm Where “Strange Events Quietly Take Center Stage”

We reached out to Tyson Grumm to learn more about the inspiration behind his surreal work, his creative process, and what viewers can expect from his upcoming show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery.

"I only want to paint what I think is interesting," Grumm said when asked what draws him to create his strange and dreamlike scenes. "I only work on one painting at a time from start to finish, and I do that because I want to fall completely into the world of that painting. I'm, honestly, not sure how painters work on multiple pieces at a time, because it would be like working on two different songs at the same time; each one has its own cadence and story. I don't know how you can swap back and forth. So even though the end result may seem strange or dreamlike, when you're fully immersed in it, as I am when I'm painting, it feels very logical and expected.

Sometimes I'll see a painting many years later and be like, 'Well, that's an odd painting,' but it wasn't at the moment I was painting it. It seemed like a story that made sense at least in my head, kinda like our dreams are very odd at times and disjointed, but we completely act like it's logical in the dream."

For Grumm, there’s so much he loves about painting that it almost feels unfair to call it a career. "I love the solitude and melancholy of working on a painting deep into the night, forgetting about the real world and just being in that painting and in that paint, I love seeing the world when I'm not painting as a palette of ideas and colors and compositions, I love being able to invent anything I want, and in some small way, bring it to reality 2-dimensionally, and most of all I love it as a tool for constant creativity."

Grumm's goal for every painting is that, once it's in a collector's home, it remains engaging, always catching their eye, sparking conversation, and drawing the attention of guests. "I don't want my art to die on the wall. I want it to always be 'talking' to whoever looks at it, and sometimes that means the painting may need to be a little outgoing."

For the month of June, Grumm's exhibition Odditorium will be on view at Patricia Rovzar Gallery. "I get most excited when I have my solo show at Rovzar Gallery each year—seeing the culmination of six to eight months of constant painting, seven days a week, come together on the gallery walls in a giant, cohesive vision," the artist shared. "I can lay them out at my house, but it's nothing like when you see them on the massive gallery walls, where each painting and the story within has its own stage, and collectively, they all talk to each other.

It truly is magical, especially after so many hours of staring at the pieces from just three inches away. Now, I take a step back and listen to everything they say visually, and it's very exhilarating. Even for me, someone who has already stared at them for months. I've had a show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery for 28 years straight, and it never gets old. It's guaranteed entertaining for young and old alike, which is what I think great art should be."