Tuesday, February 12, 2013

4 little Abstract (non objective) pieces

 inner turbulence
 turbulence
 ruins
vision                                                                                                                 click to enlarge.

Back to Abbies! I really love doing non-objective work. I've discovered it's not easy for the human mind to create a non- objective image. I constantly have to discipline myself not to try to make something concrete of the work. I want to just explore shape, color, texture, energy, movement, gesture, depth, layer, transparency, tone, value, contast......... yadditer, yadditer, yadditer. There is a lot to it!! A great amount of thought does go into these things without, or maybe in spite of, being representative of reality. And, then there is knowing where to stop! This is why alot of my Abby's go to the circulate filing cabinet or are hiddden away on the backs of each other. ( I hate to waste paper!)
 These are only 11 x 14" and painted in mixed media on w/c paper.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

The Art of Stan

     My dear old Dad was 82 when he started to write and draw.He passed away at 87. He only had 5 years of it. Stan had to be nudged a bit to get going (he was a self professed 'lazy bugger') but he came up with some precious things. He especially enjoyed drawing chickens. Here is the last piece he sent to me with a commentary related to the time Mernie was attacked by a rooster and had to give it the boot!
     He actually stopped writing and drawing about a year before his departure. Growing up in a struggling working class community where education was considered was a luxury, if not an indulgence,  he wrote in a sort of telegraphic way that was difficult for him, as well as his audience, to decipher.
      For the most part, i could understand it and would edit his work enough for it to be included in a Seniors newspaper. He was very proud to be a 'published author'. However, he had developed no strategies to deal with criticism, so the first time one of his stories was regected on the grounds on 'political correctness', he threw in the towel.
If you can enlarge and read the text you may get a glimpse of his wit and charater. Not bad for someone who could only stay in school to grade six.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

February with Boris the Spider

 Sketch from photo sort of realistic.Not clear. Click on image to make bigger. That might help.
 Sketch reduced to a few basic shapes.Study...Horse and Rider.
Mono print and melted oil and wax techniqes. All studies toward a new body of work. Here we go again. A little lost in space trying to figure out a direction for my artwork. i am dabbling in everything to practising life drawing to totally non objective work. When i settle into a body of work i will need to buy myself a set of blinders to stop me heading of in all directions.I am in a state of confusion at present. Woe is me.