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Abstracts more > |
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"Yearning" |
"Tension By The Sea" |
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"Dancing On The Torn Edge Of Existence" |
"Laceration" |
"Tension In Blue" |
From time to time I am compelled to work in a purely abstract or "non-objective" mode. Stylistically there is a difference, but I see no dichotomy in figurative and abstract modes of working. Each have there own schools of allegiance, for certain, but I view any approach to art as a tool---a means to an end. And the same qualities of a good abstract painting will be present in a representational piece; the same aesthetic criteria apply. In fact, the difference between abstraction and representation is really one of degree. Consider that even a photograph is an abstraction (that is, an extraction of the essence) since the composition of the image is one extracted from an infinite choice of subjects and viewpoints. Conversely a completely non-objective piece could be looked upon as an image of painted shapes---it is what it is with no illusions presented. Though non-objective in their form these works relate to the human condition. The visual tension produced through the tangential shapes, intersecting lines, and juxtaposed color serves as a metaphor for the tension of thinking and living in this world. Layering is important in these paintings in that the resulting surface richness adds visual interest and also reinforces the concept of the complexity and multiplicity of life. The themes I pursue will likely intersect with those of my figurative work, but the elements of the paintings themselves are given a freer reign. I use this approach often to begin a work without any particular end in mind. Guided by intuition and vague feelings about how certain shapes may speak, how certain lines might evoke tensions and emotions, I continue in a tentative manner allowing each brush stroke to inform the next. Working in this manner allows me to express and experiment with a wide range of approaches to subject matter, themes, and content. |
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