The Reveal

I almost hate to tell you the title of this piece because I loved the different interpretations so much! Thank you for sharing them. That’s what I love about non-objective art; it means something different to each person.

My student Morgan continues to explore making non-objective art. This genre has freed her to play with color, value, texture, and composition without worrying about making something look like something. The result? She completed a piece during her lesson this past week that was stunning. I wish I’d taken a photograph of it to share with you. She is a natural. I’m so very proud of her.

Returning to the title of the piece from my last post…as I worked on this monotype, the idea that came to me was “Swimming Upstream”; because that’s what life feels like some days. Some days I'm a fingerling swimming like hell against the current, dodging the flotsam swirling my way.

Waxing Non-Objectively

"To Be Revealed"

9" X 12"

Monotype

As I brought the photograph of this image up onto the computer screen, Clint said, “Uh oh”. 

You see, for me non-objective or abstract* pieces are an expression of extreme emotion. Often, they express negative emotions: anger, fear, betrayal, loss. There were a few years there where I was doing a lot of abstract pieces—and I mean a lot. I've told Clint about those years, so this put up a red flag for him.

“Not to worry, my love,” I told him, ”You know I’ve been working with Morgan (my student) on abstract and non-objective expression and I wanted to show her an example of her next assignment.”

I had to come clean, “…well, and all the other stuff that’s been going on lately.” Yes, there’s been a bit of stress in our lives, but nothing that we can’t deal with.

What is so interesting about this piece is that when I showed it to Morgan and then Clint, they found completely different imagery within the print. Now, I did not intentionally incorporate any recognizable image. I was strictly working with shape and texture and value. That’s the wonderful thing about an abstract drawing or painting. Everyone finds something different. Sometimes there is nothing to find—yet so many people look for “something”. Often, there is nothing there other than an expression of color, texture, mood, or it’s simply an arrangement beautiful shapes.

When I finished this monotype, a title came to mind; yet my intent was very different than their interpretation. 

So…what do you see? Tell me and I’ll tell you the title and the feeling behind it.

*FYI: Abstract means the piece is derived from reality. There is something recognizable there. Non-objective—meaning there are no objects that are recognizable.