Trust

 More than a few artists will tell you they have no connection to abstract art. It is not their thing. They don’t get it. It is not real art, etc. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I believe that some of these artists are missing out on developing a key component of individuality in painting: Trust.

That’s why I teach the principles of abstraction.

The goal is not to convert realist painters into abstract ones, but to help artists think about what paint can do if they let it. Training by focusing on dynamic balance, hierarchy, division of space, shape, edge, paint handling and color relationships without basing it on a known source. This process has helped my representational work grow by leaps and bounds.

After 35 years of teaching, only a small percentage of realist students have jumped ship from their existing path. Instead, they expand their visual language and fold the lessons back into their existing process. 

Change should be gradual and organic.

To build trust in one’s own process is to empower the unique voice of the artist. This voice is comprised of some combination of the key characteristics of painting: intent, drawing, value, color, edge, paint handling, mark making, composition, line, narrative and about 10 other devices in the painter’s tool kit.

That’s why there are so many wings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art — lots of unique voices in art equal lots of wings at museums. And who are we drawn to when visiting such places? Those artists who exemplify that trust, that faith in their own vision, the pioneers, the masters of hand and mind.

We seek those who are powered by authenticity. I mean, let’s face it, if everyone painted the exact same way, it would be pretty dang boring.

The key to building trust is to venture out past the comfortable known areas of process and concept and hang out on the thin branches for a while. You’d think it would be easy for artists to do this. What’s the worst that could happen? But, surprisingly, it isn’t. The realist regimen incorporates a series of control measures to ensure a fair amount of accuracy: get your drawing right; get your values right; the rule of thirds; lead the eye; mix the paints just so… all to beautiful effect. Control on the front end.

Abstract painting is that process only backward. The control is on the back end, which means higher risk and higher failure rates. And that can feel uncomfortable. But the process of doing, even on a small scale, teaches an enormous amount about what we can do independent of a subject or content in a painting. This can be part of a healthy aesthetic training program, sort of like taking a day to do Argentine Tango if you are more of a Viennese waltz kind of a person. 

I could rattle off a ton of realist deities whose work dances with the abstract: N. Fechin, C. Anderson, J. Sorolla, C. Monet, J. Twachtman, E.C. Fortune, G. Klimt, E. Dickenson, T. H. Benton, T. Thompson, B. Dugarzhapov and so on. If you put realist painting on the same spectrum as abstract painting, some of these artists are just a little closer to one end than the other. 

So, what is to be gained from this kind of exploration?

• You get unstuck in a hurry.
• You get more paint-handling ideas.
• You get a better understanding of what the components of painting can do.
• You get more adventurous compositional ideas.
• Your creative thinking skills get a workout.
• Your critical thinking skills get a workout.
• Your significant other will find you more attractive.
• You will loosen up just a little bit.
• Your back won’t hurt as much.

You may not experience all of those, but I promise at least a few will happen. 

Let’s say that you are at least moderately intrigued. What next? How does one do this kind of playful study? The doing it part is pretty easy, it is the brain that you have to deal with. There are several secrets to getting it to go along with the plan.

We are creatures of habit and change is not always easy.

• Give yourself permission to play without focusing on the outcome.
• Use the Seven Principles of Creative Expression to keep you out of the weeds.

• Spend a few hours making shapes on canvas or paper with a brush and one color. Make compositional shape ideas.
• Change your approach. Change your materials, your brushes. Tape canvases into quarters to disable the perfectionist feature.
• If needed, work from a reference source, then put the reference away and paint from the sketches. Repeat the process, doing additional studies from the previous studies. Let the work evolve naturally.
• Mix some large piles of color that you love and just start moving paint around. Come back in an hour or two and work on refining the paint into interesting compositions.
• Hide them away for a while. Be like Dr. Frankenstein and keep your creations in the cellar until you have fresh eyes, then give it another pass.

• Try anything that is completely outside of your wheelhouse.

When you put yourself in the uncomfortable position of trying something new, increase your level of comfort with the unknown, you grow a little. You will learn something new about yourself and build faith in your ability as an artist and a human being.

Trust me.