James Griffith: Painting with La Brea Tar

Altadena-based artist James Griffith creates paintings using tar sourced from the La Brea Tar Pits, a technique he calls 'painting with death.' His works depict wildlife and cosmic scenes, often combining both. Griffith obtains the tar from Pit 91, with permission from curator Emily Lindsey of the Samuel Oschin Center for Global Ice Age Research. His process involves mixing the tar with solvents, lighter fluid, linseed oil, or gasoline, then applying it to panels and using power tools and Exacto knives for fine details. Griffith's studio is a refurbished 1920s firehouse across from the Bunny Museum. He survived the Eaton Canyon fire, which destroyed about 30 paintings purchased by friends; he created small versions of these as gifts. Griffith lives in Altadena with his wife Susanna Dadd, and they host free concerts at the Folly Bowl. His work is inspired by Galileo's drawings and Darwin-era wood engravings. The La Brea Tar Pits are natural asphalt seeps from the Salt Lake Oil Field, and the adjacent George C. Page Museum is closed for renovation until 2028. Griffith's art avoids virtue-signaling, instead asking 'Where are we?' and aiming to foster compassion.