I find joy in the act of seeing and the process of discovery, with the still life serving as the central vehicle for my search. Through working from observation, I search for relationships between objects, space, color, and atmosphere—places where relationships are experienced and shared, and where a universal desire for connection gently unfolds.
In my still life oil paintings, I find the need to hold onto something solid to ground my explorations. Hard, stable objects provide a core structure within the composition, allowing me to remain anchored as I work to understand what I am seeing. These forms create a framework that makes space for instability and chaos—the unraveling ribbon, crooked sticks, patterned fabric, or translucent tissue paper that drifts, obscures, or presses into the scene. These objects become players on a stage I construct and direct, each contributing its own character. As they interact, scenarios emerge, often surprising me with unexpected and personal results.
Color plays a central role in my work. I often select objects for their shape and color, considering the potential relationships they might create. I seek out subtle variations of grays and neutrals and set them against more intense colors. This contrast allows purer colors to radiate, activating the atmosphere of the painting and creating a quiet energy within the space.
Composition is the underlying structure that enables me to guide the viewer’s eye in, out, and around the picture plane. In my works, this structure can be incomplete, loosely connected, or partially hidden. Edges dissolve, forms slip into darkness, or reappear through sudden shifts of color. Areas of order exist within moments of chaos, creating tension and balance within each painted world.
I also supplement my studio practice with direct landscape painting in gouache, observing color relationships, compositions, and space while on location. My gouache set always travels with me so I can observe and take visual notes wherever I may be. This practice contributes to my studio work.
My mediums of choice are oil paint, gouache, charcoal, and graphite but I am always open to something new.
Website: mariericcio.com
Instagram: @marie_riccio
Contact: mariericcio42@gmail.com
