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Abstraction, Yet Again

Rushing Toward the Fog

36X48" Oil on Canvas

In a way, this question gets us back to the topic of abstract painting. Has anyone ever looked at one of yours and said, "I could have done that"? I know how I'd respond but how about you?

   Sidney Oliver

Over the weekend while visiting my studio, a friend asked, "How are you going to finish this?" I answered, "It depends on how abstract I get."

He was referring to the blocked-in painting above. Occasionally simply a blocked in painting gives you the semblance of what you want to achieve. 

The more I look at the photograph above, this might be an example of doing just that. Perhaps a tad more work, but not much.

The painting is based on a photograph I took of some daffodils another friend brought with her to work.

They were cheery. The weather was bleak. I couldn't resist.

Betsy's Blooms

16X16" Oil on Panel

Well, something tells me that my friend will disapprove of the semi-abstract result.

One just never knows what is going to happen once that brush, palette knife, or hand hit that canvas, hence my non-answer to him.

Now I have heard the snotty way to answer your question of "I could do that!" is to say, "Yes, but you didn't, did you?"

Actually, I did have one guy during the RAAC Fall Art Tour tell me he could have painted one of my small fruit paintings. I didn't respond.

Sometimes no response is the best response.

Any Given Day

16X16 Oil on Panel

"What is this going to be when you finish it?" another friend asked about the above painting. I replied, "It is finished."

Painters are accustomed to critiques and most of us are tough enough to withstand comments, well-meaning or not. Commenting on a painting to me after I have finished and after I am emotionally detached is not a problem. It's almost fun to mentally collect the offbeat and insulting reviews.

As I think I have stated before, and it bears repeating, commenting on something when a painter is working on it is unacceptable in my opinion. The artist is still in the creating mode and hasn't reached that threshold of needing help. On the other hand, if an artist asks for help with a problem area, forge ahead. Even seemingly polite suggestions are taboo if unsolicited. If anyone is reading this and is tempted to comment on a work in progress, don't.

Unsolicited advice is not nice.

Few make rude comments if a painting looks like a photograph. Some abstraction? Take a number.

Abstraction makes people feel uncomfortable. They don't know how to interpret it.

My advice is not to interpret it. Enjoy it.

The beauty of abstraction or semi-abstraction, with which I'm being increasingly drawn, is that it holds some mystery.

If you are going to use a little abstraction in your work, be prepared for the negative comments, however, remember:

Inspiration comes from within.

Go off on a tangent. That's where the fun lies. That's where creativity begins. 

Enjoy the process!

   Ruthie Windsor-Mann

This post is part of a series of Q & As between Ruthie Windsor-Mann and Sidney Oliver. 

We invite the reader to join in with other questions in the comments section. This needs to be interactive in order to work.

All photographs are by Ruthie Windsor-Mann unless otherwise credited.

Copyright 2019 Ruthie Windsor-Mann All Rights Reserved