My wise mother said this to me last week. We were talking about how we are drawn to certain art at different times and she said, "Art opens the door into the soul." The art we are drawn to is a reflection of where we are at that moment or a part of who we are. I find that I'm drawn to completely opposite works sometimes. I used to let this bother me but now I see it as different reflections of my mood or soul.
In fact, I've been drawn to abstracts lately. I think they attract me because there is complete freedom in them. It's as if feelings and thoughts about what is correct and proper - what something should look like - are let go. This allows us to just feel the emotion of the color, pattern, shape, and lines.
I find the choices the artist make in the process fascinating. I also love all the eye candy and detail there is to explore. It reminds me of being a kid and reading books like the Lord of the Rings, you are going to go where you've never been before - embark on an adventure. Here's a walk through some of the paintings I've been captivated by lately.
I'm also drawn to things that are a bit quieter and calming, like this piece by Laurie Devault which has a playful but subtle feel to it (@lauriedevault):
And the right in the middle, I love this one by Elizabeth Chapman (@elizabethchapman77). Look at all that energy and exuberance! And if any of you are thinking, that's so easy - just slap some paint on a canvas (like I once thought), try it - it's harder than it looks to create a good, balanced composition that is interesting.
This is my abstract of the week, I named it "How does your garden grow?" Because this is the type of garden I have. It's more intuitive and expressive, with splashes of color everywhere. Definitely not structured, particularly organized or methodical but somehow it works (the garden that is, hopefully, the painting does too). This painting is layers and layers of different materials, building up the "soil" if you will create the backdrop for what I decide to let bloom vs prune away. It is a lot like gardening in that some things look good where they are, some need to be moved and some need to go and you keep playing with it until you're happy :)
