I’ve always had an interest in creating art and have dabbled off and on through the years. I never had any formal training. In January 2014, I enrolled in weekly adult class at the Kaizar School of Art in Washington Township, NJ. It was there that I honed my skills and began creating art seriously.

I work mainly from photos and I am heavily influenced by my experience working in the maritime industry. After attending the Seafarers International Union’s Harry Lundberg School of Seamanship in 1976, I began my career as a deckhand on tugs and tankerman on oil barges and worked my way to a Captain position on ocean-going tugs. In 1989 I took a shoreside job as Port Captain and held various positions, including Training Manager, Employment and Recruiting Manager, Vetting Specialist. I retired as Senior Marine Technical Advisor/Port Captain at Philadelphia Energy Solutions (formerly Sunoco) in 2016. In addition to maritime subjects, I also rely on vacation photos for inspiration. I work mainly in pastels, however I intend to explore working in other media.

I’ve exhibited my work at the Kaizar School of Art Annual Shows, Margaret Heggan Library in Washington Township, and the Seafarers International Union Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, MD.

My art can be viewed on my website: https://nickgrasart.com
Find me on Facebook at Art by Nick Grassia