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The paintings posted on this blog are a journal of process.
Daily practice, exploration and experimentation are the life blood of the artist's way.
Website: http://KathrynTownsend.com

“A man learns to skate by staggering around making a fool of
himself: indeed he progresses in all things by making a fool of
himself.” --George Bernard Shaw


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Red Cup

"Red Cup", 9 x 9 In, Oil on Museum Board
As I've mentioned recently, I'm attempting to go more abstract, but it is not easy. I have to make myself stop before the realistic mind comes into play--just leave some things as they are. If anyone has any suggestions about how to approach abstraction, I'd love to hear.

Purchase this unframed painting for $135.
Contact me if you would like to purchase a plein air frame

4 comments:

  1. Suggestions for going more abstract? try having no volume. Just linking flat shapes together. It usually works great. You can start adding a bit of volume according to what visual you are after. Hope this helps

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  2. Hi Kathryn, Hope you are feeling well. I also have a suggestion. Try taking a photo of the still life. Change to black and white, posterize and reduce the values. Then paint the photo upside down. It's fun and you feel free to design shapes, released from local color and subject matter. Then I look at it right side up and it helps me begin to 'see' the actual still life more abstractly. Good learning tool I think. But of course I love the way you do things now!

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  3. I love this! I love those brush strokes in the background, and the way you divided the canvas into different sections. Gorgeous!

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  4. Thank you all for your comments! Bruce--I will try your suggestion--it sounds like fun. Julie--volume is kind of a sticking point--hard to get away from, so yours is a very good suggestion.

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