Greg Sasser

Growing up I was surrounded by art. Paintings and prints adorned the walls, and filled boxes in the attic and closets, which I looked through often as a child. Books of art history, painting and drawing techniques sat in places where magazines might typically sit. My father was a painter and medical illustrator. His art supplies and easel were always visible and at my disposal. My favorite thing he created was a workshop in the garage which became an assembly line of his wood projects and artistic ideas. It was in his workshop that I learned the fundamentals of woodworking. Sanding, sawing, drilling were all things I enjoyed before I even entered elementary school. It was also during this time that my father exposed me to the art of drawing and painting.

In the hours that I spend painting now, I feel the influence of my father’s work. He painted on anything he could find: wood, drywall, whatever would take the media. It was in these early,
formative years that I became unconventional, and was taught that art could be of anything, created on anything, by anything. I was also shown that if you have a talent, you should use
your talent in life to help people. It was for this reason that after I graduated high school, I decided to pursue a career in art education.

After leaving college, teaching high school art for 23 years allowed me to share my world of art with many young minds. It was exciting to see students develop an interest in art and even
move into post-secondary majors like graphic design and art education. Teaching art for many years, although a rewarding experience, seemed to change amidst Covid. It was in the fall of
2021 that I decided to take a sabbatical from education and pursue another career that I hoped would not only allow me to use my talents, but continue to help people.

For the next three years I studied and worked as a tattoo artist mainly in the Indianapolis area. I had the opportunity to give many people pieces that helped them through obstacles or
served as merely decorative elements for the body. It was in tattooing that I was reminded that art can be of anything, created on anything, by anything. Although starting over with a new career had made me poor, my artistic growth gave me the confidence to begin painting in numbers.

From the summer of 2023 to the present, I have painted close to 40 large-scale paintings. I mainly paint people since that’s what interests me. A series of 25, 2 x 4 foot realistic portraits
came first, followed by a series of 10, 2 x 3 foot abstract portraits. Working with acrylics on plywood and particle board with cardboard imbrication, the materials matched my visions and my goals. I have had the chance to show the paintings at numerous first Friday events and gallery exhibitions ranging from museums to breweries. My hopes are to continue to use my talents to make art and to hopefully help some people along the way.