Get in close enough and everything is abstract.
Categorized as an abstract, expressionist painter, I am always intrigued when people say things like “How do you do it?” or “I wish I could paint in a more abstract fashion” etc etc.
My paintings are rarely, if ever “worked out” – they just happen, grow and develop, the marks and colours lead me to create, so I just start and carry on. The stimulus comes from all kinds of sources – memories, feelings and sensory experiences that are usually not visual.
However, during Open Studios I pondered on this statement”I wish I could paint in a more abstract fashion” – a statement by a visitor, and when she left I went outside to sketch Jude’s wonderful poppies. Then, as an exercise, I re-drew them several times, zooming in closer and consciously simplifying the drawings as well as “pulling out” the shapes to create a design
. The result is that I may use these as a stimulus for paintings but, it is highly likely that they will bear no resemblance to the original sketches!
I post them up (unfortunately not in the right order) as a point of interest and possible comment.
Inside Out Art Group 
do you like the abstracted sketches better? do they fill you with the same joy as the original poppy’s
Ah – now that’s a difficult one!
But thinking about it I think that the ” joy of the poppies that drew me to sketch them” gets carried through the process, and through the other abstractions, if that makes sense, so I end up with a family of sketches that relate to that original joy, and, interestingly help me to recall it and enjoy it retrospectively more fully. I think that producing several related versions multiplies the original experience and makes it richer than if you just drew it once……..
Hello Diana, I love your explanation. It makes a lot of sense, that ‘s abstract art.. It is great to read these lines from a successful artist and the sketches are brilliant to support what you say.
I guess some people can see abstract art as something simple, just splashes of colours, shapes and texture. I think your titles are very clever and can situate you where you could start to understand or see the painting as something deep, telling a story. However, I think looking at abstract paintings you can be moved and travel to your memories or see things that link you and the artist.
Thank you. You are very kind.
I believe that no matter what the artist either intended, or finally arrived at, once the work is resolved, it is over to the viewer. The viewer then takes that visual journey with the work and allows it, as you say, to “talk” to them.