Archive for the ‘Abstract Art’ Category
New Age Realism
Nowadays, many people don’t see the relevance of realistic works of art. Some claim that the craft involves no imagination, while others assert that a photograph is more accurate anyways. Although the popularity of realism in artwork may be dwindling, that doesn’t mean that you can’t look to nature for inspiration.
Abstract landscape painting is the perfect way to juxtapose the power of nature and the call for expressive artwork. By creating your own distinct view of nature, you can allow people to experience your interpretation of the world around you. And, of course, one of the signs of true art is that it requires the observer to unearth new ways of thinking or discover those ideas that may be lying dormant in them.
Plein Air Painting in Florida
Here in Florida, we have not had a good winter for plein air painting. We have had high temps in the low 60s (most of the day was in the 50s) with 10 - 20 mph winds most of the time.
Now, I know that temps in the 60s seem like balmy zephyrs to those of you reading this who have had temps in the teens or lower, in addition to many feet of snow, but is is just now pleasant to wear your fleece jacket or wool hoodie or long undies to be in the open air for 2 hours or so to do a painting. The good news is that spring is coming and warmer temps will be here soon. I’m just now sure which month!
Adding Life to the Living Room
A living room is the first room your visitors will see upon entering your home. This is where you most often entertain guests and visiting family and friends. Hence, it is important to keep this room attractive and inviting. Redecorating your living room doesn’t have to be burdensome.
You do not need to overhaul the whole room by painting the walls a different color or replacing all the furniture. The secret is to start with the small details. You can add decorative throw pillows to make the couch more appealing or perhaps change a vase or two and the room will look new already. Make a room look more contemporary with some abstract expressionism paintings. It’s all a matter of finding the right new pieces to blend with the old.
The Tree Tradition throughout Art
There is a unique relationship that humans share with trees—we have a codependence on earth, and throughout history trees have been used as a symbol for life and vitality. We are all familiar with the expression “the tree of life,” as well as literary analogies that have been drawn, such as “The Giving Tree” and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” The structure of the tree is even used as a metaphor for the family dynamic.
For hundreds of years artists have captured the aesthetic beauty and cultural significance of these pieces of foliage in their work. Not only do they appear in classic, realist landscapes, but there are also a myriad of abstract tree paintings that show them in a different light. Many fads come and go in art but trees have been—and probably will continue to be—a source of inspiration for artists.
Matlacha, FL
Yesterday I went to Matlacha, FL, to paint. Matlacha is a charming little tourist village on the eastern edge of Pine Island and to get there, one must go through at least some part of Cape Coral and cross the “fishingest bridge in the world.” Now, whether this means that the most fish are caught here, or the most people try to catch them, is unknown. But suddenly, on both sides of this 2-lane road for a 2-3 block span, are little houses of green, pink and yellow with all sorts of paraphernalia in front.
Just prior to passing this area, if one turns left, there is a community park and boat ramp and in the middle of all that is a giant live oak tree! You already know where I headed! There’s nothing quite like painting en plein air on a beautiful day in paradise!
On Being Accepted
A few days ago I went back to Sea Star Gallery where I had a show last February. I had been so happy to be accepted by this gallery because the owner had been so enthusiastic about my abstract paintings. I wanted to ask the owner if she would be willing to have another show this winter as she had mentioned last year.
A Brief Overview of Abstract Expressionism
Following World War II, New York City was the epicenter for unique styles and creative energy. One of the main movements that spawned from this artistic whirlwind was abstract expressionism art. The term, first coined in 1946 by art critic Robert Coates, is used to describe a range of spontaneous and surrealist creations.
One of the main artists in this movement was Jackson Pollock. His drip paintings stressed the importance of the creative process, not just the finished product. While to the untrained-eye abstract expressionism may appear to be a muddled, amateurish art form, the pieces exhibit a subconscious attention to a greater theme.
Advancing and Receding Color in Landscape Paintings
Landscape paintings use a two-dimensional surface to show a three-dimensional scene. In order to create a believable painting, the artist must use his/her knowledge of colors and edges.
Cool colors appear further away from us than warm colors when seen from the same location. Mountains in the distance will become cooler with greater distance. Also, they will become grayer, less intense, and with edges that are less distinct. Objects in the foreground will appear to have more intense color as well as sharper edges.
Warm and Cool Colors
In our daily experiences, we associate red, orange and yellow with fire and heat. When we enter a room decorated in those colors, we feel warm. Likewise, we associate cold starry nights with blue. Deep water is blue. Ice has shades of blue and green. A room decorated in blues and greens makes us feel cool.
In general, a color is warmed by the addition of yellow or red and cooled by the addition of blue. In doing landscape paintings, it is necessary for the artist to be able to recognize the warm and cool colors of nature. Some days are sunny days and the landscape is composed of warm colors and cool shadows, whereas, other days are cloudy days and the landscape has a cooler feeling with warmer shadows. The artist must be able to control the warmth or coolness of the hues depending on the ultimate effect (s)he wants to create.
Intensity: The Third Dimension of Color
Intensity is the third dimension of color and refers to the strength, saturation, or purity of the color. In most cases, the color is at its greatest intensity as it comes from the tube.
To reduce the intensity of a color, white may be added to lighten it or black may be added to darken it. In both cases the purity of the color is decreased. Also notice that as the intensity is weakened, the value has changed. The intensity of a color can also be weakened by adding its complement. For example, blue can be grayed by adding orange.
Nature is full of such a variety of colors! If one is doing landscape paintings, it is very important to be able to control intensity, value, and hue, because changing one nearly always changes the other two as well.