UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #35

“Glasshouse Mountains” (Prototype for a mural 180x720cm)

Acrylic

Size of prototype: 60x180cm

THE IDEA BEHIND THE PROTOTYPE PAINTING:

An iconic natural feature of the Sunshine Coast is the Glasshouse Mountains.  Those who live outside of Australia may not know that Captain Cook (who discovered Australia) named these volcanic mountains in 1770.  

I can actually see the top of one of them from my home.  They are rich in indigenous legend which is available on the internet.  Each of the mountains represents different characters in a family.  It is with this myth in mind that I have painted the different panels in this prototype for a mural.

The Glasshouse Mountains can be viewed from different angles and protrude from a flat plane.  I have taken my view of them from Wild Horse Mountain. 

It is very difficult to get the whole group of mountains in one painting because of the expanse of the vista.

In order to capture this vast panorama, I borrowed from the large Japanese scroll paintings.  Some of these break a panoramic scene into twelve sections.  My mural has 12 panels each 180x60cm.  For my purposes, I have made each section a separate painting in itself.  This makes the size of the mural 180x720cm. 

The mural has not been painted, however the prototype is based on an equal ratio.  Thus the prototype is 60x180cm with each of the 12 sections of the prototype being 60x15cm.

Art Techniques used to achieve this:

In order to capture the vastness of Glasshouse Mountains, I have use perspective techniques.  However I wanted to keep my overall painting relatively abstract.  Therefore I had to carefully plan the painting before I started it.  The rear, middle and forward fields rocket off the canvas into the space inhabited by the viewer outside the picture plane.  The points of focus created by the perspective are therefore outside of the painting. This draws the viewers’ eye into the enclosed vista.  The long rectangle shape of the canvas also extenuates the horizontal line and exaggerates this vastness.

The colours are also carefully planned to capture the hazy flat landscape from which these mountains protrude.  The painting however is kept as flat as possible (a particular characteristic of my painting style) while keeping the integrity of each mountain shape.

The narrative of the mural is taken from the ancient legend and the different characters in the story are represented by each of the seven mountains.  Each character is portrayed in this painting through the choice of colour.   I always keep notes on the colours I use when painting because over time one forgets, and because I mix my colours, they are not easily reproduced.

I have taken the prototype as far as I intend.  I have not attempted to start on the mural because without having a commission to do such a sizable painting, it becomes a problem to store.  I would just love to have the opportunity to paint it some day as I can see just how I would be able to create very interesting flat planes of colour that cannot be achieved in the smaller version. 

At one stage I also envisioned that the mural could have an overlay painting of the foreground done in a transparent material which could float in front of the painting.  The foreground could alternatively, be projected onto the floating surface in front of the mural.  (See figure 1.) 

One might think that it is a lot of trouble to do a prototype before having a commission, however it is in the doing of the painting that one learns… and it’s also a joy to achieve the effects that one intends.  That for me is the reward.   If anyone hears of an opportunity to produce this idea, please let me know.

http://www.buderimartstudio.com

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #34

“Vast”

(Mixed Media) 

Size:  120x90cm

THE IDEA BEHIND THE PAINTING:

“Vast” is the complete opposite to my last week’s post which was purely abstract with no perspective at all. This painting is of Mooloolaba Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Australia near where I live.  It is an exercise in perspective and the composition was carefully planned before painting.  However you will note that the surf in the mid-ground is dribbled across the canvas to flatten out the painting and to keep it from getting too geometrical or realistic. 

Art Techniques used to achieve this:

This painting is an exercise to demonstrate perspective – the rear, middle and forward fields rocket off the canvas into the space inhabited by the viewer outside the picture plane.  The point of focus is the trawler on the horizon. The rectangle shape of the canvas also emphasises the horizontal line and exaggerates the perspective.

Yellow always represents joy for me and my palette here is yellow and blue and their compliments, violet and orange.  The painting is neither cold nor hot but tends to give a feeling of neutrality.  

Collage was used at the point of focus to depict a trawler and the paper was cut to repeat the geometry used in the overall painting.  No attempt is made to make the trawler look realistic – just its shape is shown.

The texture is moderately rough which adds to the feeling that the sea and the beach are natural and still able to dictate their moods.

I don’t enjoy doing such a structured painting, but from time to time, it is good to step outside of ones usual painting style and try something different.  I took my inspiration from Lawrence Daws.

http://www.buderimartstudio.com/

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #33

“Thoughts Moving in Consciousness #1”  Satsang Series 

(Acrylic and Ink on handmade paper) 

Size:  104x70cm (unframed)

THE IDEA BEHIND THE PAINTING:

This painting is a meditation.  It is one of a series of paintings I did on this subject while I was in India.  It represents thoughts moving in and out of consciousness in the Now.

Art is a way of externalizing ideas and thoughts.  In this painting I am conveying to you the viewer, BEING through paint.  It is portrayed in an abstract way because the concept is abstract.  At the time of painting I was spending time in an ashram where meditation was practiced regularly.

Art Techniques used to achieve this:

Yellow always represents joy for me.  Therefore the painting is predominantly yellow.  Colour perception is always subjective and different individuals may perceive colours differently. 

I initially applied various coloured inks to the paper and then eliminated that which was unnecessary.  Inks have a very vibrant saturation and represent my thoughts as I observed them arising in my consciousness during the painting process. The overall composition feels balanced although the inks are applied randomly. This was because I overpainted that which was not necessary.

There is little texture to the painting as I wanted to give a refined finish.  There is purposely no perspective or design to the painting.  It is very subjective.  It represents the Now.

http://www.buderimartstudio.com/

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #32

 

“The Range” 

(Acrylic) 

Size:  61x61cm

THE NARRATIVE BEHIND THE PAINTING:

This painting is an experiment in composition.  It deals with a limited pallet (yellow/purple/pink/white).  This composition invites the viewer to take a journey into the painting….a mysterious journey…where are the trees?  Being a regional practitioner I often address local environmental issues in my artwork.  This painting is no exception – it is devoid of trees.  In my personal life, the village in which I live is renowned for its leafy treed environment.  In fact the emblem that signifies Buderim is a Poinciana tree.  Buderim Mountain has a population of about 30,000 residents.  It has been settled for 150 years.  It has many imported trees that are mature and significant which resulted from planted by the pioneers to the mountain.  However the Qld and Local Governments have decided that trees should to be indigenous to be politically correct, and plan over the next five year to remove a large number of non-indigenous trees that grow in the Sunshine Coast region!  Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth.  Council is replacing these very old, large majestic trees with indigenous tube stock.  The ultra-purists in conservation circles refuse to see that in an urban area such as Buderim Mountain which is inhabited by a large population of people, that these mature leafy trees provide valuable amenity to the urban area as well as beauty.  I suppose this painting says something about this matter

Art techniques used to achieve this:

You, the viewer, ask yourself…“Why does this image visually work?”

It works because of the horizontal bands across the top (hills) and foreground.  The two horizontal bands are joined by a distinctive vertical (purple) connection forming something like an “H” on its side.  This gives the image stability when set within the square canvas.

What makes it an interesting composition is that the connecting vertical line is asymmetrical.  It also is slightly off centre and has contrasting colours (yellow/purple) on either side.

The composition takes the eye on a journey from left into the painting and then up to the apex of the range.

The painting is semi-abstract in that it relies on composition and colour rather than representational content.  Although the painting has perspective, the areas of colour are applied in a uniform way that creates the flat planes of colour that I favor.    (See previous post #31 for more details on this matter)

http://www.buderimartstudio.com/ 

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #31

“Its about Oil…its about Water” 

(Mixed media and bitumen on ply board)  

Size:  90x90cm

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

Many of my paintings are conceptual which means that they are about ideas and not just decorative works.  I did this painting in response to the degradation of our environment by multinational companies and some governments that indiscriminately and blatantly plunder our Earth’s resources.

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

The painting is almost monochromatic in that the blues blend from one to the other. 

The square support is ply board which has been primed with gap-filler to achieve the textured surface.  The collage in the centre re-states and  emphasizes the square shape of the painting.  I dribbled bitumen onto plastic and when dry then removed the plastic.  The dry bitumen shape was then adhered to the collage to represent oil. 

The dribble in the upper border is the only part where Orange (the complimentary opposite to Blue) is used to subtly draw attention to it. 

In this painting, less says more.  What do you think?  Does it achieve its aim?

The beauty of our environment is being allowed to slip away.  Beauty is nourishment for the soul.  This degradation of our environment has been demonstrated this week at a local level.  The beautiful natural forest in the centre of Buderim Village that I wrote about in posts #21/22/23 was destroyed this week - cut down by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council. 

 

In its place will be a steel and timber viewing platform overlooking the back of a shopping centre.  My paintings are often about the environment... it is my way of saying that we have to be aware of what we are losing before it’s too late.  

http://www.buderimartstudio.com 

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #30

“Bottles”  (Acrylic on Masonite board)  Size:  61x46cm

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

This painting won Third Prize at the Royal National Agricultural Show (RNA Show), Brisbane, Australia.  It is essentially an exercise in colour and space.  The subject is a still life of two bottles and the purpose of the exercise is the point of focus in space where the two diverge into separate objects. 

There is no personal or emotional context and therefore no narrative to this painting.  This leaves the viewer no option but to focus on the abstraction of the exercise – it is intended to represent purely a two dimensional plane with no attempt at perspective.  The painting is framed in smoke coloured perspex which adds to its contemporary appeal.

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

I have used one primary colour (Red) and its split compliment (two Greens), plus black.  The white is the undercoat of the support (Masonite board).

I have deliberately abstracted the subject and reduced it to its visual bare minimum.  The lack of visual information is designed to draw the viewer’s eye to the point where the two bottles meet in space.  This is where the “drama” is.

The lighter coloured Green gives a sense of being in the foreground.  This is the only suggestion that there is depth in the composition.

The acrylic paint dries flat and can look very uninteresting when dry (this is particularly true of the early acrylics, which this painting is an example).  Therefore to create visual interest, I have textured the surface.

High tonal value is when there is a lot of contrast between darks and lights.  This painting exploits this so that the eye is drawn to the point of focus where the two bottles meet.

The composition is divided into three flat planes.  This division is deliberately off centre – which holds the viewer’s visual interest.  Although asymmetrical, the painting feels balanced.  This is caused by the darker space being bigger than the other two – its as if the bigger volume equals to the other two areas combined.

So you the viewer may ask, why do I do such a simplistic paintings?  My answer is that this is the way that I portray life – by reducing the material to its essence I discard that which is not necessary.  Every day is a process and the best that one can do is to be there in the moment.  Art (for me) is like praying – it expresses the conflicts within, and by the act of painting, these conflicts become dissolved.  Abstract art offers no boundaries for my imagination, and beautiful “accidents” can occur.  It also helps me to figure out new ways to solve problems, both in the painting I am working on, and in life.  This leads to serenity and peacefulness.

A wise person said “The garbage is always rich enough to grow some beautiful flowers”.  (unknown author).

http://www.buderimartstudio.com 

UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #29

“Golden Glow”  (Acrylic)  Size:  90x120cm

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

”Golden Glow” is a spiritual painting.  It was painted during a time when I was seeking inner Truth.  Essentially it represents a meditative state where thoughts come into awareness and are observed in a detached manner.  The point of focus is Emptiness. 

Artistic techniques used in the painting:

Over-painting is used in many of my acrylic paintings and this is no exception.   Also the flat planes of colour are another feature of my artwork.

The colour yellow for me represents joy.  This colour ranges from a warm yellow which floods most of the surface and is off set by the cool yellow at the bottom centre, offering the viewer a glimpse of another possible dimension.  

The picture is balanced by the two borders on either side of the canvas.  High contrast in these means that the painting has high tonal value.  This together with the colours used in these borders adds a feeling of drama and rhythm to what could be a bland expanse.

The painting is one of a series of paintings which I called the “Satsang Series”.  It is meant to evoke a meditative state in the viewer.   What do you think?   Was I successful in your eyes?

http://www.buderimartstudio.com