PokerFaceArt: When Poker, Life, and Art Collide
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Stanley Grandon is a former leading ophthalmologist (eye doctor) who spent 45 years helping others. These days, Grandon spends his days on the golf course, playing poker and following his passion for painting. Two of Grandon's favorite pastimes have combined, resulting in him creating unique paintings that put the viewer in the thick of the action at the poker table.
Grandon stepped away from the hustle-bustle of the medical world during the COVID-19 pandemic, freeing up time to follow his passion for painting. Describing himself to PokerNews as "78 years young" and with a mind that is still sharp, Grandon's surgery skills transformed his patients' lives over his four-and-a-half decades in ophthalmology, improving or even restoring their sight. Now, having more than served his dues, Grandon is giving a fresh, unique insight into the fascinating poker world via his PokerFaceArt.com website.
The Artistic Poker Player
Grandon has played poker for most of his life, discovering the game in high school before plying his trade when casinos came to Michigan. He prefers tournaments over cash games because your tournament life can end with any hand, whereas cash game players can reload their stacks. Grandon firmly believes that poker mirrors life, which is one of the reasons he depicts the lives of poker players and dealers in his paintings.
"I always thought poker was a game of life. You plan on doing something, you take all of the different odds into account, and then you either don't do it or go ahead and do it. Then luck enters into it. You may plan everything perfectly and do everything perfectly, and somehow bad luck occurs, and you lose."
"It's the exact same thing in life; you never know what's going to come along and screw up your best-laid plans."
Sometimes, luck works for you in life, as it does at the poker table. Grandon has had a couple of instances where Lady Luck has dealt him the equivalent of a two-outer on the river in his favor.
Luck Meets Skill in a Chance Meeting
After graduating from medical school, Grandon planned to become a radiologist but found it boring during a stint as an intern because of the lack of patient interaction. He spent a year in the emergency room for 18 months before switching to ophthalmology, where he spent the next 45 years helping patients see again and improving their lives. A chance meeting with an old friend sent Grandon's career on a different trajectory.
"I accidentally met a friend who was one of my teachers. He told me to see Dr. Markey, who was part of a big practice in Michigan. It turned out they had a good surgical ophthalmologist, but he quit on them and stole records! The practice had some older doctors who couldn't perform the newer surgical techniques, so I started right there."
"I started doing two full days a week of eye surgery but I had no idea that this opportunity would present itself. You know, it was like getting an ace on the river."
Marriage is similar to poker: Sometimes you get lucky
"Marriage is similar to poker: Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don't. A lot of people are totally in love, and everything's wonderful, but for some reason or another, it doesn't work out. I got lucky in marriage!"
All those plans, studying, and intense training helped Grandon, but only when skill met luck did he become a revered eye surgeon, performing up to 50 operations each week. Life does, indeed, mirror poker.
Poker Meets Expressionism
Anyone visiting Grandon's PokerFaceArt.com website is instantly transported into a colorful poker world in a style and from the point of view never seen before. Poker-related paintings are nothing new, but you will be hard-pressed to find anything like Grandon's work.
I want to convey feelings, and that's what I attempt to do in my paintings
"My paintings are not meant to be photorealistic, a form of art that's been popular for the last 50 years. I collect photorealistic art, but, in my opinion, if you want the perfect reproduction of people in games and events, take a picture. No painter can paint as perfectly as an iPhone picture that has something like 10 million pixels or something like that. There is no way an artist can reproduce that detail."
"My paintings are all about expressionism. I get feelings from the facial expressions and body language of people—the dealers and players in this case. I want to convey feelings, and that's what I attempt to do in my paintings."
See Poker From a Unique Perspective
Some may think that Grandon employs a pop painting style, but he is an expressionist. His work reflects how he sees things at the poker table, and the vibes dealers and players give off during battle.
Gamblers are different and more interesting people,
"It's all about the faces and interesting people in the way they act and dress. Gambling, in general, has a lot of interesting characters. Gamblers are different and more interesting people, more interesting than your average librarian, for example. I've always enjoyed gambling, so what I try to do when I paint poker players is all about the facial expressions, body language, and also getting a feel for their character. Expressionist art is all about feelings."
Grandon cites Max Beckmann, a German expressionist from the 1920s and 1930s, as one of his main influences.
"He captured the essence of the German people of that period in their nightclubs, businesses, and personal lives. He was a big influence on me."
The poker artist also draws inspiration from several artists whose work he respects and collects.
"Eric Fischel is one of my favorite artists. Philip Pearlstein is another, and Vincent Desiderio is another; they are all fantastic figurative artists. They don't do photorealism, they don't do perfect representations of their figures, but they convey emotion, and that's what I try to do, too."
Grandon also has works by Tamara de Lempicka in his vast art collection. De Lempicka was a Polish national who moved to the United States with her husband following the outbreak of World War II. Later in her career, she painted celebrity portraits, still life paintings, and pop paintings. De Lempicka led a truly interesting life, which has been turned into a Broadway show, which Grandon says will make the late artist "super famous."
Honing and Refining His Artistic Talents
Although much of Grandon's work comes from within him—an art teacher labeled him an "artistic genius" as a youngster—he refined his techniques through tutorage from talented artists across the United States.
"Todd Burroughs showed me a technique from the Renaissance involving grids. You put grids on a canvas and then draw the figures on the grids, which is easier than on an empty canvas because you have more focal points to get the figures in proportion correctly."
"Chris Burlini was my teacher at the Burlini Center for the Arts in Boca Raton, Florida; he taught me some useful techniques. One of my paintings that I did in Florida is on display at the art studio. It won the Picture of the Month and Picture of the Year Award."
Grandon's award-winning painting will soon be available on his website alongside the six already displayed, another that he recently completed, and one in-progress piece.
One feature of Grandon's work is the use of vibrant colors, something rarely seen in expressionists' artwork, which is often dark and depicts characters looking sad.
"I think I'm pretty unique, and to be a great artist, you have to be unique. You can't be like other artists; you have to bring visions to the world that have never been seen before. My poker paintings especially, nothing like them has ever been seen before; they put you into the poker game."
Bringing Affordable Art to a Wider Audience
Grandon's ultimate goal is not financial gain but leaving a legacy. He wants to make his art accessible to a broader audience from all economic backgrounds, which is why you can purchase archival print art and printed products at a very affordable price at PokerFaceArt.com. As Grandon's unique art becomes better known, it will likely appreciate in value.
I wanted to bring my love for poker to the public
"I've always loved poker and loved gambling because I think life is a gamble. I wanted to bring my love for poker to the public in a way that is unique and has never been seen before. I'd love to be known as the artist of poker and leave something to posterity so people know I was here. It's not about the money at all. I have enough money; I don't need any more money; it has more to do with legacy and leaving people who play poker something that expresses the uniqueness of their game.
If you ever find yourself at the Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, or the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach, keep an eye open for Grandon because there is every chance you'll spot him grinding away in poker tournaments. Earlier this month, Grandon finished third in a $250 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty event for almost $1,500. Here's hoping that Grandon gained some inspiration for more artwork during his impressive deep run.
