Abstract art: delight and difficulty
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
In this video I chat about the painting process and share some ideas that may help you think about your own art. I show you some new paintings in their awkward middle stage…. I’ve spent a few days on them, but they are far from finished.
Slowly evolving
These partly finished paintings were created using heavy body acrylic paint on thick acid free 300gsm paper. I love acrylic paint and the way it layers up, that each painting can have a hidden history which occasionally reveals itself. Acrylic paint lends itself perfectly to layering, building up richness, depth and texture with paint.
Working with acrylics in this way, creating layer upon layer, can be a fascinating journey of discovery and concealment, covering bits up and letting other elements remain. A series of decisions which allow the paintings to slowly evolve and unfurl.
In the studio...
The bitter and the sweet
The early layers start with a sense of play and possibility. I love choosing a colour palette and being playful with paint. there is a freedom and boldness that comes at the start.
Then comes the difficult middle bit.
Each painting seems to oscilate between ugly and good looking so quickly. At this stage it can be helpful to reflect and organise thoughts through writing. To set clear intentions and find some clarity about how the paintings might feel….
For these paintings I pondered the idea of juxtapositions.
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of opposites and how they work in tandem in an art work. I am currently reading a brilliant and thought provoking book by Susan Cain called Bittersweet in it she says:
”The bittersweet is about the recognition that light and dark, birth and death, the bitter and the sweet are forever paired. “Days of Honey. Days of Onion,” as an arabic proverb puts it. The tragedy of life is linked inescapably with its splendour,” Susan Cain
I find this idea of ‘two sides of the same coin’, of entwined dualities just beautiful and endlessly fascinating….I pondered this idea of opposites when I made some quick notes about how I want these paintings to feel. I wrote:
Joy and depth
Wildness and order
Freedom and control
Space and intensity
Beauty with disarray
Obvious and intriguing
These ideas will now guide every practical decision and choice I make within the paintings. I will assess the paintings through this lens. If I want to add depth what will I do now? If I want to make this painting more joyful what shall I do now? These ideas will provide the guiderope for all the small decision making to come.
Delight and difficulty
The exciting and challenging thing about abstract art or semi abstract art is that it does not necessarily have to look like something which exists in reality, we can bring ourselves to the painting, bring our imagination, our emotions and our own inventiveness, We can perhaps try and communicate something a little intangible. This is the delight and the difficulty, the beauty and the challenge.
Making abstract art isn’t always easy but it is always wonderfully thought provoking…. it has encouraged me to think deeply about what I do, why I do it and how I want my art to feel….
Try thinking about this question when you are next creating art, “How do I want this piece to feel?” the answer may contain a seed of magic which will help guide you and enable you to create something which feels truly unique to you…
If you are keen to create your own striking abstract or semi abstract art inspired by nature, then you may like to take a look at this class which is available to take immediately…