Journey Into Abstraction

It began innocently enough.

In August of 2023, when my sister visited Raleigh, NC, I took her to the NCMA (art museum). We found ourselves standing before a colossal Robert Motherwell painting. 

The sheer enormity of the work engulfed us in its space, and it seemed deceptively easy to create. In a lighthearted moment, I exclaimed, "Alright, I give up. I'm going in this direction." My sister nodded in agreement.

A seed was planted. That's when it all began. 

As summer turned to fall, ordinary details captured my attention during morning walks. The cracking paint on crosswalks, meandering lines of black tar on roads – even divots in the sidewalk concrete contained wonderfully organic shapes and patterns. There was beauty in their imperfection.

I slowed my pace, occasionally pausing in the middle of the road to study the intricacies beneath my feet. A casual passerby might have wondered if I was okay, witnessing my fascination with the seemingly mundane.

Ch-Ch-Change... Change of Tools

My artistic journey has taken numerous twists and turns. Working with encaustics, oil/cold wax medium, and mosaics limited me from working at a large scale for various reasons, including allergies. Multiple signs urged me to switch mediums AGAIN, but I found myself resisting the change. This year, however, I relented and rediscovered acrylics. (Photo is from 2012, working small in encaustics hot wax)

GO BIG or go home (Part 1)

Do you know art stores charge a whopping $260 to deliver large canvases to your home? Well, I showed them, didn't I?

The nice folks at the art store even helped to secure my load, which was no easy task on a cold, blustery day. They said I had a "nice rack" and "great ratchet straps". That was a first for me. Heck, I'll take it!

Go big or GO HOME (Part 2)

I made it home without the 5x5 ft. canvases setting sail, marking the official start of my venture into abstraction.

In 2016, I dabbled in acrylics during my "graphics phase", resulting in the paintings you see above. Retrieving my acrylic paints from storage, I turned to face the Big Bad Blank canvas. Yeah, baby. Now or never. 

And so the fun begins. It seems I have gone all the way home, past my graphic design roots, and all the way to childhood.

My fine art toolbox comprises scribbles, swirls, blobs, and shapes. It's perfectly imperfect, and it's liberating. After all, we're all evolving works in progress, and I plan to embrace my imperfections – divots, smears, and all.

Thank you for being part of my artistic adventure. Your presence means a lot to me, and I genuinely appreciate you being here.

Although one foot remains grounded in the world of abstract landscapes through commissions, the other is eagerly tapping the floor, excited to see how the next chapter of my artistic journey unfolds. Stay tuned!

______________________________________________

 

2024 SHOW SCHEDULE

Mims Gallery at the Dunn Center, Rocky Mount NC
Jan  11

Arts in the Park, Richmond VA
May 4 – 5

New Elements Gallery, Wilmington NC
Oct 25

______________________________________________ 

 

P.S. You can read more about my artistic journey in the March 2024 issue of Wrightsville Beach Magazine.