Do you  look at abstract art and go “huh?, I just don’t get it…!”

I never used to “get” abstract art, I would look at it thinking it was just a bit of paint slapped on a canvas and pass by all too quickly, I was a realism girl (and i still am to some degree). As I have matured as an artist and an observer of art I now “get” and love abstract art and ofcourse I also create it! 🙂

One of the things with realism most other “normal” art  is that when you see it you immediately understand what the object or what the scene is. If it’s something familiar in your brain can process things about it and then you can decide things like:  whether you like it don’t like it, how its been painted,  if its a person you may know –  does it look like them?  Then of course you maybe viewing a piece of  art might  that makes a statement, evokes a emotion or highlights an issue so it makes you question what the artist is saying?  Or more importantly How do you feel about this subject!! 🙂

1. The truth is (for me anyway) abstract art DOES do this and much more! Unlike with other types of art what you are viewing isn’t immediately recognizable to your brain it may or maynot be something you can put into anything that makes sense SO you have to actually sit with it a little bit to view it. You have to take the time and look at the shapes, the colours, the textures as it might not be immediately obvious to you what the artist has tried to depict in this painting and it might not be immediately obvious how this painting affects your thoughts and feelings so therefore you have to actually LOOK to discover what this painting is about!!

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2. The next exciting thing is is once you see something in an abstract artwork, if you share it with someone next to they may see something COMPLETELY different. As an artist how cool is that?? Different Shapes & colours have different meanings to different people so whilst one person sees / feels one thing the next maybe completely opposite. One of my favourite things to do in my exhibitions & art displays is put up one of my abstract works and ask people as they come through what do they see in the picture?  This one below is one of my favourite artworks to do this with, the amazing things that people tell me they see over the years is so facinating,  especially kids they see things us adults just don’t see!  I have had people see fish, whales and a myriad of all sorts of things in this one!

So what if you don’t see anything in the artwork and you still go..huh??

That has happened to me so many times, particularly when visiting exhibitions in fancy art galleries please feel bad. If this happens, try to find an artist statement or description by the artist, many times it all makes sense once you have read that!  Please don’t take the assumption though that all abstract art is the same and doesn’t work for you or that you must be missing something (i hear that all the time)  all that means is that this piece of art just isn’t speaking to you. Sometimes for me, I don’t  actually see anything in the art but i just like the colours or the texture and that is all it is. It doesn’t actually have to serve me anything I don’t actually KNOW what it is I like about it, I just like.  Discovering why you like it though will help you when creating art and in looking at more art.

ALSO I see things as time progresses and NEW things come all the time.  I have pieces i have finished and go about hanging up in my house waiting to dry, or deciding whether it truly is “Done”. As I go past in my daily activities I may just catch that splash of colour or that little bit of texture that just pulls my eye and that gives me joy.  The artwork above I have had around for few years, still today all of a sudden I will see something completely different that i have never seen before! Its giving me new surprises as it sits in my daily life and THAT is what having art is all about!

Here is one of my latest abstract artworks. Its called “Abstract #8”, a large 101.5 X 101.5cms. It’s large so it commands a wall. I am seeing so much in this one.

Tell me what you “SEE”!

Please leave a comment below what do you see in these??