Moods, feelings, expressions and experimenting with non traditional visual forms to represent an idea or thought, is what abstract art is all about. Abstract art began as a deliberate movement away from the traditional visuals and techniques in art. It was a conscious effort to break away from the norm and experiment with styles, techniques and new media with the industrial revolution and emergence of new technology.
Choosing An Abstract
Abstract Expressionist painters explored new ways of creating art, reinvigorating and reinventing the medium. They changed the nature of painting with their large, abstract canvases, energetic and gestural lines, and new artistic processes. Many artists experimented with nontraditional materials, such as commercial paints and house painter's brushes. Artists also developed new techniques to apply paint, such as letting paint drip onto the canvas, moving the canvas from the easel to the floor and working on unstretched and unprimed canvas. With these unconventional ways of painting, the Abstract Expressionists sought new forms of self-expression and personal freedom in their work.
Jackson Pollock, one of the most prominent and well known of the Abstract artists had this to say about his process:
Jackson Pollock stated: “When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. It is only after a sort of ‘get acquainted’ period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well."
Convergence, 1952 by Jackson Pollock
Abstract art has many connotations for people. For me, it has always been a means of expressing my feelings in a way that straddles the real with the unreal. It is a conversation starter, a note in time which changes its meanings and feelings as I grow and change, It is color sometimes, sometimes it is shapes. There are punctuating lines which draw my eyes on a dance across the composition. The colors, textures and layers add to the feelings of chaos, calm, anger or melancholy. Abstract is the technique sometimes, other times it is the thought itself.
The same composition can be interpreted in a million different ways. It changes its meaning with time and perception, yet the harmony and the balance of what drew you to the art remains steady. Abstract art is thus, timeless. It seamlessly blends itself with any style of home and helps you see things in a different light.
My love for abstract comes from the distinct desire to do something unexpected, to push myself into expressing my feelings in a way that surprises me. The human face is often my subject of choice. Within its simple contours, lie the complex matrix of emotions and expressions which are the basis of what makes us human.
Abstract art is a universal language and works for everyone, in any home style or gallery wall. The play of colors, the techniques, the tactile quality of the complex interpretations is what makes it a favorite among artists and art lovers worldwide.
When choosing a piece of abstract art, choose one that gives you immense joy and excitement all at once. Choose one which makes your eyes dance along its shapes, or colors which draw you in. Choose bold art to make a statement and choose a style that speaks your language. Find large scaled abstracts to create drama, or small ones to balance a room.
Choose a frame that will play with the art you chose. Keep it minimal for colorful art, choose vintage or ornate frames for the stark. Hang it on your wall, step back and go on a journey with your emotions and let your imagination soar. Every few months/ years, ask yourself what you feel when you look at it. Identify with it and evaluate how you have changed and how that piece of abstract expression, from that moment of your life, is still a source of joy in your life.