As with personal growth, an artist’s voyage is never finished. Though niches may be found, and skills capitalized upon, for those still in search of creative preference, exploration is necessary.
This series is that exploration in not just the study of the craft, but the emotion brought forth by it.
After using oils for many years, an introduction to an art instructor led to an attempt at acrylic painting.
The teacher and gallery owner, who specialized in celebrity portraits, encouraged the selection of a recognizable figure as the subject.
As a horror movie fan, it was an obvious choice: Robert Shaw, who played Quint in “Jaws.”
Though junior year of High School had afforded an opportunity to have work displayed in Washington D.C. my journey as an artist did not formally begin until adulthood when working with oils.
The attraction to oils began with an interest in Renaissance and Baroque style paintings where the human form was so wonderfully captured and the contrast between shadow and light breathed life into its figures. These tremendous works of art were worthy of emulation, however, the skill necessary to achieve such alluring depictions had not yet been obtained.
Though the casual spectator may quip at its seeming simplicity, abstract painting is a complex process that requires an artist to dichotomies parts of themselves in translation of aesthetics, feelings and experiences.
Unlike realism where technique transcends expression, abstract painting allows for an unbridled stream of consciousness. The concept of “abstract” can extend to a swatch of colors placed haphazardly on a canvas to a distortion of everyday objects and occurrences. Its value is found in the journey, rather than the outcome.