Saturday, April 6, 2013

When Planets Align

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 24x36

My students, (AKA) the Fine Art and Cheap Wine Group, in our latest session, wanted to attempt abstract expressionist painting. Now back in the day, I was known for my large scale abstract paintings and for me this was a return to my artistic roots. I still feel that there is nothing more creative than non-objective painting and I enjoy the pure use of action and color without restraint. We dripped, we splattered, we pasted and textured with wild abandon and finished with mixed results. I think the group may have learned a new appreciation for abstract painting and also learned how difficult it can be to do it well. I always return to ny love of contemporary impressionist painting and more representational work ...but each style energizes and feeds the other. abstract expressionism prints

To quote the famous art collector and critic, Leo Stein;
"Realism and abstractionism are not enemies. They eat out of the same dish; but their digestive systems are different."