Abstraction

For this post I will be focusing on art, or more precisely, abstraction in the art of painting. I remember my first art pieces. Scratchy attempts at landscapes which I would give to my Grandmother as gifts. These attempts at art were feeble at best. I could not then, nor can I now, draw a stick figure. She would shower me with compliments though, and the compliment’s effect was, an artist was born. I still make scratchy attempts, but the scratches have become a tiny bit more sophisticated. While still just a boy, I was entrancingly drawn to the art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The changes in art were amazing to me. From the silky perfection of the realist’s of the Renaissance period (i.e. Peter Paul Rubens, Michelangelo, Rembrandt)  to the “atmospheric” Impressionist painter’s (i.e. Manet, Pissaro, Van Gogh) there was a major shift in the way artist’s portrayed our world. An even greater shift occurred with the Surrealist’s (i.e. Dali, Ernst, Magritte) and in my personal opinion, the most dramatic of these shifts, was the complete disassociation from realistic imagery shown by the Abstractionist’s. Two of my favorites, whom were considered pioneers of the abstract movement, were Wassily Kandinsky, and Paul Klee. Abstract art developed from three main movements in early and late 19th century art, Romanticism, Impressionism, and Expressionism. These art forms gave birth to abstract art of which there are a myriad of descriptive terms. Geometric Abstraction, Lyrical Abstraction, Fauvism, and Cubism are various forms of abstract art from various periods of time. My own work vacillates between Geometric Abstraction and Abstract Expressionism, depending on whether I am trying to express a feeling, (Abstract Expressionism) or just creating “eye candy”, (Geometric Abstraction). In this post I have included examples of each.

The first piece, “4T” (oil on canvas, 36×36 in., 91.4×91.4 cm) is an example of Geometric Abstraction. It was a rather laborious painting, taking nearly 3 years to complete through various fits and starts. I will not go deeply into it’s meaning. I will only describe my thoughts of it’s creation. I was attempting to visually describe the Underworld, the Ether, and the thin crust of physical existence betwixt and between.

The next piece, “Goodbye Kitty” (oil on canvas, 29×22 in., 73.7×55.9 cm) is representative of Abstract Expressionism. This particular painting came hard and fast, taking a few hours to complete. It is representative of a difficult time, a “psychic regurgitation” if you will. Our cat had died and I had left my marriage, both within a short period. The former left me with a great sense of loss and despair, the latter, relief and release.

The final piece of this post is entitled “War” (oil on canvas, 18×14 in., 45.7×35.6 cm) and is another example of Abstract Expressionism. It was painted during the time of the “War on Terror”. I generally refrain in my personal blog from religious or political discussion, but to convey the meaning of this piece I must rescind. I feel a vehement denial towards war. Period. If you look closely at this piece you will see the spirit of war spreading it’s wings, leaving death and destruction in it’s wake. On close inspection you may even notice the skull and a loose interpretation of  “The Reataliator”.

Till next post, be well!

 

 

 

 

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