Have you ever watched a painter of abstract art actually paint? The artistic process is as exacting, as agonizing as is traditional, representational art – in the skin of a totally different animal.
If you walked into a roomful of abstract expressionist artists at work and stayed awhile, feeling the energy, listening to the often audible, agonizing utterance over a disappointing gesture on the canvas, hearing the constructive but critical comments from the instructor about an area so small that for the average viewer it would go unnoticed in the whole, or the occasional gasp from a painter who has been pleasantly (or unpleasantly) surprised over a result on the canvas when the paint did exactly what the paint wanted to do, your eyes and ears would be opened to a process that is divine in its madness and perfect in its imperfection. I believe that successful abstract painting requires from the artist an eccentric vision, curiosity about what ESSENCE really is, faith in the journey of the process and a free, confident spirit willing to invite adventure and improvisation, to name just a few. There are many more. I could go on.
One Christmas my daughter slipped into my stocking the ideal solution to all of the centuries old misunderstanding of abstract art – a peppermint flavored breath spray, small enough to always be available but discreetly hidden in any pocket, that gives a person instant understanding of Modern Art!! Who knew? The back of the packaging has powerful testimonials from cherished customers who insist that they became instant, educated art critics with just one quick and easy pump of the atomizer.
Of course I was not the one who needed it – but she knew that I would run across many who did need it and so I carry it with me all the time. Yes it gets a lot of laughs, and always a select few who look at me incredulously, eyes searching for clues, wondering if….perhaps….
I wish I could tell you where to find these; they are probably jumping off the shelves.
Know anyone who needs a spritz? Line forming fast to the right….
the creative epiphany 
I truly regret not having gone to watch you paint when we were neighbors! But you know what I love in some of your posts, is being a voyeur and looking at all the contents of your jars, and cans, and pots filled with brushes and pencils and rulers; the “utensils” truly fascinate me!
As for that spray….maybe when someone is about to open their mouth and say something about your painting, (and knowing that person you know what will probably come out of their mouth), you can just give a quick spritz in there before they know what has happened.
LikeLike
Reminds me of a time when a new friend, an artist, showed me her great new work of art, an abstract. Well, I had to tell her that it was beautiful. She smiled in appreciation and moments later revealed that it was her mixer palette. But it WAS beautiful!
LikeLike
HA HA – Something similar happened to me recently when I sent a picture of the FLOOR of the painting room to a friend. It is fascinating because of all the years of random drips and splashes – but my friend thought it was my newest painting. It was so Jackson Pollack-ish looking that I was sorry to tell her it was not my art. Thanks for your comment!
LikeLike