UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #12

Title “Jewels in the Desert” (Acrylic) 90x120cm

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

Figures 1,2,&3 show you, the viewer, the stages that the painting went through before I decided that it was finished. When asked when do I know when a painting is finished, I would say that, I experience an inner feeling of completeness...a feeling that there is nothing more to be added. I suppose that it is a bit like when a conversation is completed… the conversing couple just know that it has reached its conclusion.

This painting represents experiences that I had while traveling in the USA. There were many “jewels” in an overall experience that was best described as emotionally desolate as I was very homesick for Australia.

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

Cold colours underlie the final painting that is an overall russet colour…somewhat like the colour of the Australian central desert. The Australian desert appears to me as not red but more a soft pink colour… it is a place that I was home-sick for while I was traveling overseas. I think that the colour represented a wishful longing to be back home.

The “Jewels” are the experiences and people who I met while traveling. Their richness is represented by colours, that to my eye, are like opals in the desert.

Many of my paintings have flat planes of colour and this one is no exception.

This painting is an emotional expression of my homesickness but also an acknowledgement of the richness of experience.

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #11

Title “Two Nudes” (Acrylic) 90x95cm

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

While on the theme of realistic painting, I thought this painting of two human figures would be a nice transition back to abstract painting.

This painting was taken from a life drawing session. My ability to draw the human figure is good when I am continually practicing it. It is something I cannot just dip into from time to time, though I do get inspiration from the sessions and the interaction with other artists. Good life drawing has to be a discipline which is practiced and needs dedication in attending sessions.

This painting captures simplicity of style similar to some Japanese woodcuts and also Matisse who also borrowed from the Orient. However it was not done with these influences in mind

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

This painting is stylized with little attempt at detail. You will see that a different process is used here than my paintings numbered 1 to 9. I am approaching this painting from a drawing exercise. Red and white dominate the canvas. Green which is the complimentary colour to red, suggests the outline and details. There is no personal emotional expression in the painting – it is simply my representation of the subject matter. This approach is objective – a little like taking a photo of a subject. Many of my abstract paintings however are more subjective in content and often deal with abstract topics. They are created through a more involved process of application and elimination which moves me from the subjective to the objective. During this process I am continually acknowledging the basic principles of painting.

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #10

Title “Portrait of a Granddaughter” (Watercolour) 35x30cm framed

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

The viewer of an abstract painting might tend to think that the artist paints that way because they are not particularly talented. I thought that it is about time that I show you that I can and have mastered painting skills. This is a portrait of my granddaughter. I chose watercolour as the medium because it is soft and best reflects the innocence of the subject. Watercolour is a very difficult medium to use. However once one gets the knack then it can be very rewarding and is ideal for specific subjects such as this one. This painting is a “labour of love” because although I can do portraits I only do them for family members.

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

I tend to not be as spontaneous with watercolour as I am with acrylic. I work out the composition and what palette I will use in advance. In this case I painted the portrait from a photograph. I did a sketch and painted the image in a gradation. You can see here I did the gradation in pink using black and white – this I did in acrylic.

I re-sketched the image onto 300g watercolour paper. The colours for my palette were then thought out in advance. I wanted to achieve a cool light as the subject is in natural light, so I kept the background cool and the figure warm. I often keep notes on my painting process particularly with w/colour.

Watercolour Palette:

Aureo. Yellow

Rose Madder

French Ultra Blue

Cad. Red

Windsor Blue (or Phthalo Blue)

Indian Red

Aliz. Crimson

Veridian

Cobalt Blue

Light Red

Windsor Green (or Phthalo G.)

-oOo-

Background: Glaze (AY+RM) with over glaze (FU+AY)

Dress: FU + RM (with lots of water)

Hair: Dark parts WB+IR and FU+IR

Light parts (AY+RM)+V (warm brown)

Also light parts (AY+CR)+V

Or (AY+AC)+V

Bear (Toy) (Light warm green) (WG+AY)+LR with lots of water

Face and Neck: Glaze AY

Face RM/V/CB

Neck AY+V

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #9

Title “Artemis – Goddess of the Moon and Nature” (Acrylic) 120x90cm

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

This painting is in the Art Collection of DLA Piper Australia (International Lawyers).

It is one of a series of paintings called In the Image of Goddesses. In this series I examine and celebrate the different qualities that are inherent in my personality structure. Everyone has these qualities to varying degrees…men and women alike…they are similar to a personality profile that psychologists use. In ancient times though, Gods and Goddesses were seen to embody these qualities.

The Goddess of the Moon and Nature in classical Greek times was Artemis. She was later called Dianna in ancient Roman times. She embodied those qualities that are associated with the Moon and Nature. Artemis is the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt, wild animals, and moon.

I showcased this series in a solo exhibition called “In the Image of Goddesses”. The paintings in this exhibition were solely of major classical deities.

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

I show here a sequence of photos of the painting as it developed.

Figure 1 is my symbol for Artemis which shows a stylized figure running with bow (goddess of the hunt). The moon which she represents is shown in the background.

Figure 2 shows her running through the forest. She is also goddess of nature. I have changed the colour of Artemis to silver which is symbolic of the moon.

In Figure 3 I have eliminated the symbolic image of Artemis but have retained what she stands for, which is the forest and nature.

In the finished painting, I have used elimination to abstract the image of the forest and capture the essence of what Artemis stands.

The orientation of many of my painting can be optional. This is because I have kept the painting balanced throughout the art making process. This is seen here where I have favored the vertical as at the finish. I feel subjectively that the goddess Artemis stands tall and is represented best in the vertical.

The cool colours represent the forest and the moon. She also represent the cooler aspects of womans’ nature… being a virgin goddess.