“Art and love are the same thing: It’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you.” ― Chuck Klosterman, Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story This quote from Chuck Klosterman seems to fit well with Maurice Greenia, Jr.’s artwork. For an artist like Maurice, this desire to create can start with an urge, a need to feel that line on the paper (or other material) in front of him. For Maurice, this paper is...
The origin of the word “collage” is taken from the French word colle, to “paste” or “glue.” Collage basically means putting things together and “fixing” them in place to form a work of art....
When I think of summer, I tend to think of color. Winter seems so stark and colorless, as if every living thing has become dormant and still. The black and white of winter has its own beauty, but the spectrum of summer colors seems to draw everyone outside and into the light again. There’s something about the play of light and colorful new life that feeds the soul and brings out the artist in us all....
April marks the 30th anniversary of The Poetic Express, Maurice Greenia, Jr.’s publication offered free of charge to one and all. It was 30 years ago that Maurice began working at Crowley’s Department store and decided to offer his unique perspective to the people of Detroit. The first issue (available in 1985 and 1986) was the result....
Winter in Detroit is usually experienced in variations of black and white: the frozen ground holds only a deep layer of snow broken here and there by stick black tree trunks and drab gray buildings. The sky is often white before settling into its gray descent to early darkness. Everything sleeps; and it seems all color is drained from the world during the bleak winter months....
The Poetic Express is a weaving of image and text, poetry and humor, unique story telling and fantasy. It communicates, it shares, and it amuses all who come upon it. And this all started, Maurice tells us in his introduction to the collection, in the mid-1980s with a very unique experiment (volume 1)....
Did you know that Maurice Greenia, Jr. creates his own refrigerator magnets? He takes old magnets that are often given away for advertizing or promotions, applies gesso to them, then paints what he feels on top of the gesso. He’ll often add the name “Maugre” (Maurice’s nom de plume) and the year the particular item was created. Some magnets depict animals, some people, some just abstract design … but all of them are unique expressions of Maurice’s creativity. Not only do these look great on your fridge, but with access to any metal, you can fill your home or work space with these great magnetic works of art....
“The job of art is to turn time into things.” (Robert Genn) Summer is my favorite time of year! I’m a “summer” person! Oh, the other seasons are nice and all. Each has its own unique expression. But, for me, you can’t beat the full complement of experience packed into a perfect summer day. For me, summer is a special type of color that seems to stretch from June to August. And summer days are filled with a seemingly endless...
Ah! It’s so nice to find the days warming and the sun shining with all its might! After spending as much time as possible outside in the fresh spring air, you might find yourself musing over something to do. “I spend too much time in social media,” you might say to yourself. “I need to just soak up the colors of this new season, but how can I do this and still benefit from the social world?”
Well, one answer may be to spend some time with the art from the Maurice Greenia, Jr. archive. ...
Creativity is an urge and one, I believe, we’re all born with. This urge can get directed in different ways, from cooking to construction to creating a business. In some people, this urge is expressed through art. Regardless of the way it’s expressed, however, what can’t be denied is its need for expression. Often the form of expression is part of the creativity itself....
