In India Cruse Griffin’s latest show, Letter in Blue, her family history inspires each intricately created piece.
A talented mixed-media artist, Indiana- native Cruse Griffin crafts her work from a mixture of collage and painting. Her process is meditative and has taken decades to develop, as evidenced in her work.
For Letter in Blue, Cruse Griffin’s inspiration is 49 handwritten letters her father sent to her mother during his time in the Army during World War II.
The themes discussed in these letters, as well as their color, influenced each piece in Letter in Blue, leading her to create a body of work that reflects the everyday life of a family that still finds joy in the midst of uncertainty.
Inheritance, Mixed Media on Canvas.
Cruse Griffin uses various magazines and other paper material clippings to create her pieces, then paints where the piece leads her; each one is representational in an illustrative, whimsical way.
While the love story between her father and mother is inspiring, Cruse Griffin chose to focus mainly on the other things mentioned in her father’s letters: the different familial relationships and events that occurred.
“Our history was inside the letters, and I wanted to express that history in a way that connected to anyone who viewed it,” said Cruse Griffin. “I expressed things like Choir Practice, Attending Church, What did Grandma Cruse make for Sunday dinner, and things of that sort.”
These precious family moments are clearly visible in each piece in the show and show that even in the hardest of times, these quiet moments can still be full of little joys.
Cruse Griffin’s work emphasizes that empathy is a powerful emotion. Her pieces are deeply contemplative and warrant prolonged looking.
While she paints her own family, she emphasizes that she hopes everyone will see themselves in her pieces. “I really wanted to show that all families carry the same feelings and thoughts for their loved ones,” she said.
This One Moment, Mixed Media on Canvas.
“There is not a lot of negative power in my work; I really try to show that life is life, no matter who you are, and normalcy and acceptance are and always can be a way of life.”
These pieces remind us that, while we may go through difficult, uncertain times, we can find joy in the little everyday moments we spend with our loved ones. Cruse Griffin’s pieces create space for viewers to hold these two seemingly opposite feelings in tension in a very generous way.
Her work also reminds us of the power of art as a therapeutic tool. While it is essential to make space to process the complex and sad things that come in life, it is nevertheless equally necessary to remember the power that laughter, joy, and time in fellowship with others hold.
In an increasingly isolated world, Cruse Griffin reminds us to spend time in nature, to keep to our normal rhythms, and to always make time for the people we love.
“My exhibition is intended to evoke emotion based on various meanings of coming home, love, family, and commitment to connection,” she shared.
“It is my hope, in this thought-provoking work, that you will find your own peace and sense of security, as my mother did [each time] she received a letter in blue.”
India Cruse Griffin’s show, Letter in Blue, is on display at the Harrison Center’s Lift Gallery in March and can be viewed online at harrisoncenter.org. Each piece is also available for purchase through the website.
