Gregory Siff was destined to be an artist. Growing up in New York City and Manhattan, Siff frequently accompanied his parents to museums, plays and the opera – all of which had an effect on him and paved the way for pursuing a life of creativity. Whether it was joining the Boys Chorus at the Lincoln Center or taking on acting roles, diving into writing or picking up a camera to try his hand at film and photography; learning the saxophone or playing with a paintbrush, Siff began a journey of self-discovery searching for where his passion truly lied.
“They’re all different instruments in the same orchestra,” Siff says, “but I found my voice and who I am in paint and art and how it feels and just how it bends time and how it makes us last when we’re not here anymore. The painting is still on the wall.”
While Siff showed talent in all his artistic and creative endeavors, painting provided the most visceral reaction.
“My favorite is the immediate response, gratification, feeling of painting on a canvas and being alone in that moment where there’s no expectation and there are no rules and it’s just really, it’s one of the most freeing feelings in the world is to have that kind of peace where all of your insides meet with your outsides, your heart beats with your appendages and you make something out of it and I love all of it,” he says.
After moving to LA, Siff made it a point to create something every day and his growing portfolio included collaborations with international brands like Mercedes-Benz, Marc Jacobs, adidas, Major League Baseball and Saint Laurent – all of which caught the attention of Tampa-based art collector Rick Del Rio who invited Siff to the Sunshine State for a commissioned piece using Diamond Dust.
This single event led to a decade-long relationship with Tampa where Siff has taught lectures at the University of Tampa; designed an exhibit secured by his manager Lisa Falcone of 4AM Gallery, for CASS Contemporary titled “Evidence of Life”; created the piece “How Do You Tell a Girl She’s Beautiful?” inspired by his time in Tampa, which was put on display at the Tampa Museum of Art – the first time one of his canvases had passed through museum doors – and completed one of his tallest murals at Hyde House Public Studio with his latest Tampa projects including a mural at Le Roots and a piece in progress to celebrate the restaurant Rocca’s Michelin star.
His paintings have also made their way into the Sheriff Chad Chronister and Nikki DeBartolo collection and the Don Miggs and Lisa DeBartolo-Miggs collection – who were some of the first believers and supporters of his work – as well as his painting of the DJ deadmau5 that lives in Tampa with Kim and Josh Rademacher.
“I have a lot of paintings all over the world, but I feel like most of them might be through the square miles of Tampa,” he says.
“Tampa gave me a certain gravitas about my work and an importance because I saw how much it meant to the people that connected with my story and how my visits here made the story continue.”
While in Tampa, Siff also embraced the culture of the city whether that’s riding in the crow’s nest of a pirate ship during Gasparilla with his longtime friend and collector Scott Lee; going to museums to mingle with local artists; designing ceramics for the Tampa Museum of Art to celebrate the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup win or drawing on menus at Rocca to give to guests; for Siff, being in Tampa is like coming home.
(Photography Courtesy: Gregory Siff)
That sense of belonging also extends to his philanthropic endeavors. In LA, Siff has collaborated with Mercedes Benz to paint a G Wagon to benefit The Art of Elysium; worked with Helmut Lang and the charity Project Angel Food; and made his mark at Tierra del Sol – a foundation near his home that works with artists with developmental disabilities – to name a few so it’s no surprise Siff would find altruistic efforts in Tampa to be a part of. From auctioning off a pair of painted and signed Nike Fear of God sneakers benefiting the DeBartolo Family Foundation to participating in CASS Contemporary’s “Paint It Forward,” which pairs together established and emerging artists; Siff has worked to give back to the city that welcomed him with open arms.
“I’ve always felt like it’s home even though I don’t physically live there,” he says. “The paintings that live here are a ‘thank you’ to Tampa, its progress, its developments and its acceptance of contemporary art. I feel very at home painting who I am here.”
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