Return to Abstraction

It was inevitable that after doing landscapes for some time that the abstract patterns in nature would inspire me to do more non-representational work. To me, no artist who works from nature can avoid drawing or painting quickly as the light outdoors changes. Usually, when you paint quickly the more abstract the image is. That just seems to be the nature of how art is created. Look at preliminary sketches by Andrew Wyeth to get an idea.

It takes a bit of restraint to put paint down quickly and leave it. You have to really look at it and decide what to do next. Do you add something? Where? How much? The more you think the more of a struggle it is. For me anyway.

This is a very small painting where I applied paint very quickly to fill up the blank area. It then stayed on my wall for months as I analyzed it and added little touches here and there. It is somewhat representational but I think it works abstractly as well

 

Incoming (acrylic on paper) 3x6"