Realistic, Abstract, Non-Objective

Between domestic duties, I have spent some time deciding on the materials I will use to create the 'ocean' images. This is a fun, relaxing part of the design process where I shift fabrics, yarns and beads around until I am satisfied with the result. Because I am doing a set of four 'ocean' pieces, I am working on them all at the same time to keep some continuity of colours and design. My large art table is littered with pastels so I have moved to the dining table.  Collage of any sort is a messy, ever expanding process that once started takes over all available surfaces until completion.  I am prepared and don't intend to serve any dinners in the dining room until my muse abandons me.

Fabric collage can be realistic in style but is most often abstract or non-objective. An interesting article in " Arts and Activities, Jan.08 issue"  states that all art falls into three  categories: realistic, abstract and non-objective. 

To quote:

"realistic  is defined as the depiction of an object as it appears to the eye. Abstract is defined as the distorting of an object's natural appearance without losing all it's recognizable features. And non-objective is defined as the depiction of no recognizable or identifiable objects; however, the final product may be derived from a real object."

The article goes on to list examples of realistic art- da Vinci, Michelangelo;  abstract art-  Picasso, Braque;  and non-objective art- Kandinsky, Pollack and Mondrian.  It is worthwhile to refer back to these terms and the various artists associated with them, many more than I have  listed, because it helps further define my objectives  for my work.  Am I aiming towards an attempt at realism or  just a broad sense of the shapes and colours of the scene. Or, is the image just a jumping off point to explore colour, pattern and line.  I will develop my direction as I continue working on the 'ocean' set. 

I am posting the original photo images along with images of the  fabric design process as it is unfolding.  No pun intended!

Blank white paper

I am starting on a new series with the fabric collage. So far I have researched ideas for subject matter and settled on two different themes: oceans and trees. I am planning on doing four pieces for each theme so I suppose it could be labelled two series though both sets deal with nature themes. Each set will have it's own colour palette and compositional style.

'Oceans' will have a linear composition much like the previous fabric collages.  This will help illustrate  a scene of calm, sparkling water  and a sandy beach at low tide. I will concentrate on establishing values to depict a sense of space and create rhythm. The colour palette will include shades of turquoise, cool blues and beige-pink sand shades.

'Trees' will focus on proportional placement of shapes, large/medium/small,  to define the composition. I am looking to create a lush, deep green/gold scene. The colour palette will include mossy greens,warm orange, gold, and a bit of cool blue sky.

Rather than just dive in I have taken a more measured approach to getting started by first defining the compositions, then creating a set of value studies for each and finally doing quick colour studies in pastel for each image.  This helps me to define my ideas and visualize where I want to go with them.  And strangely, it also helps me to get engaged and really excited about my next project!  It gets me past the "blank white paper" stage. Now I can focus and start making my ideas come to life.

I have included pictures of both  'oceans' and 'trees'  done as value studies and colour studies. You might call them "my stretching exercises" before the marathon. I guess we all need a way to jumpstart our engines now and then.

Hallelujah

I love new... new foods, new versions of a song, new artwork, new ways of thinking, hearing, and seeing.  My favourite floor at the Seattle Art Museum was the floor exhibiting Modern Art. It was always exciting to see what new approaches an artist had taken to express an idea.

'New'  reminds me of two things. One, that nothing is set in stone, and that we all have our own way of interpreting and expressing what is around us. And two, that a good subject is always a good subject however different the new 'spin' on it.

"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen has been covered by many, many different artists but this is neat one, four guys, one of whom, Norwegian Kurt Nilsen,  is a World Idol winner. It's neat because of the casual, intimacy of the setting and because it it comes from four guys in a country that I don't think much about when it comes to music and art. It is easy to live in a creative cocoon unaware of the heroes writing, singing and creating in the rest of the world. It's also neat because it illustrates how  a good song has a life and energy of it's own outside of the original creator. Like the Energizer Bunny, it just keeps going and going.

Good art is the same. A landscape, a still life, a portrait, an abstract painting... all subjects painted by artists throughout the world. Hallelujah for the ability of modern technology  to transport me across the globe  to see a familiar song with a fresh approach. It doesn't really matter how we travel as long as we do.

Check out the video.

"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen

Vernissage

I don't score many points with my worldly husband over linguistic issues, after all his father is a retired English drama teacher, so it is particularly sweet when he, my husband, is ignorant of a term used in the art world....vernissage.

What! You are unaware of the meaning behind this significant event in the lives of artists?  Well, I say, wikipedia it! In common English it means 'opening' as in the opening of an art show, but the historical definition is far more romantic. Vernissage translates as 'varnishing' in French, referring to the final varnish put on an oil painting before exhibition.

So, what does it all mean?  A vernissage is a time to mingle and chat with fellow artists and other attendees. I suppose it is the modern day version of the French 'salons' when the artists emerged from their studios and stood beside their work and acknowledged that " I did that ".

It is the final critique. Will anyone like it? Will the viewer be moved by my work? Did I make a connection? The question then begs, am I creating for economic purposes, or for my need to express myself?

Choices

No photos today, just a few musings on the constant choices artists make in the journey to express themselves. When I occasionally pick up a copy of  The Pastel Journal, I am always appreciative of the wonderful articles inside. In Issue No. 53, December 2007, there is an article featuring Serguei Ossik, a Russian landscape painter. At one point he speaks about the  idea of using artistic license and emotional intuition when making colour choices.

To quote:

Ossuik's realization that it was impossible for him to transfer emotion, colour and the power of light by blindly following nature, helped him to develop his thinking about painting.  "I realized the inevitability of adornment," he says. "remember that Matisse said 'accuracy is not truth.'  It's impossible to convey the sparkling of snow, the burning yellowness of fall, the light spots on leaves or the birch trees whiteness without adornment."

A strong endorsement to "go with the feeling" when making colour choices or any choices for that matter during the creative process. I love Matisse' s comment about accuracy not being truth- it speaks to the idea of truly "seeing" and can be applied to many things other than art.

Further into the magazine another article featuring  abstract pastel artist, Ingrid Wilkins also touches on the ideas surrounding artistic choice.

To quote:

"I would advise, have no assumptions," Wilkins says. "Scribble. Paint with the body. Don't engage with the brain because the brain often stops people from doing things intuitively. Don't be afraid of the mess, because you can always clean that up. But you have to spit it all out first- that's the emotional barrier. It's about finding what really excites you."

Colour, texture, form, line- all have the power to excite and inspire. I can relate to the messiness of creating art. All creation is messy process. Particularly when working in mixed media I seem to cover every available surface in the house from my studio to the kitchen to the dining room before I am finished! I am "desperately seeking a surface " to give birth to my artistic expression. And, it is amazing that when done,  the finished piece has taken such a  transformational journey to completion when I have let go of my assumptions and let my intuition be the guide.

Gray day

Well, today is very gray day and this new piece reflects this with its somber mood. I did warm up the sky abit with the addition of a warm neutral gray. The image is from a series of photos taken while vacationing in New Brunswick, Canada this past summer.

What did I use? Right now I am working on Sennelier, La Carte pastel board. I like the tooth as I put my pastels on quite heavy. I use a combination of Nupastels, Rembrandt, Sennelier and Schmincke pastels. I also use fixative at various stages when I want to add a new layer on top of a previous thick layer. I try to avoid fixing too much at the end as it really does darken the colours and reduce the sparkle.

This piece has a more abstracted style than the previous two, and I am using a colour scheme that I usually don't use - grays! Generally I am drawn to brighter, happier colours but the grays definitely have their charm as well. It is amazing how the brightness of the sun or lack of it affect colour choices and mood.

New name, new medium

Ok...so  I have already changed my name. The first title was a bit boring. And now, after a minor domestic detour and a major computer disaster I am finally back at the creative game. It really is a love/hate relationship with these computers.

I am doing a few pastels at this moment.  I got on to pastels as a way to do some quick studies for oil painting. Now, I am hooked! Except for being messy and expensive, they offer instant gratification in terms of colour and completion. Opening a box of pastels is really like opening a box of delicious, brightly coloured candy treats. Buying more can also be very addictive!

These two sketches of an ocean beach have a  semi-realistic style.  My next attempts will try for a more abstract style focusing on colour and shape.