Tuesday 23 September 2008

Abstract Notions

Every so often I go looking for something else. Sometimes when I'm posting stuff on Flikr I come across either new artists or old contacts/friends who have highly a developed sense of the abstract, for example: maryannwakeley (who has also just started a new blog which you can find here: http://maryannwakeley.blogspot.com/); annabarne ; hiroshimatsumoto ; and leekaloidis . The problem is, however, that these artists appear to paint from somewhere deep down, somewhere that I seem to be unable to find. And it drives me nuts. (well a bit more than usual!). But it doesn't stop me trying. Here is one such attempt:

Acrylics on hardboard, 61x39cm: "Subconscious Musings #1"; Well the image has to come from somewhere so why not my subconscious. There's all sorts of things going on in there it's just a matter of digging them out! One of my favourite films is "Pollock" with Ed Harris playing the nutcase... sorry, the great man himself and the best scene of all was when JP was in his bare barn studio with a length of canvas rolled out on the floor and a can of household paint poised over it waiting for inspiration...waiting...waiting (wait for it....) and it comes (phew!) in the form of a drip from the can - splorp...splorrrp...dribble, dribbbble, wheeeeeech.......and the rest, as they say, is history! His history, not mine. The best I can do at this moment in time is to guddle around my own subconscious and (apart from the broken bottles and wee motors a' crashing [as my mother used to say]) and try to make something of what I find.


Don't try to analyse it. There is no rational. All is chaos!

6 comments:

my croft said...

the Firth pictures are very close to abstraction . . . you may be closer than you think [cue the ominous instruments: dun-dun- dunnnnnn].

I like these a lot. I don't know enough about abstraction as a form to say anything insightful or useful or both, but I like them a lot.

Melanie

my croft said...

oh, just btw, it is easy to suddenly have too many cats, isn't it? I'm holding the line at three and wouldn't have succumbed to the latest one except that he was clearly dumped and terrified and, once he calmed down a little, so darn cute. yeah, right.

M.A. Wakeley said...

david, i can't wait for subconscious #2. i am still cackling out loud over your jp "nutcase" comment.

thanks for the plug to me blog :>)

staying tuned for more abstract musings... i like the idea

daviddrawsandpaints said...

You are very kind Melanie. And I love the sound effects. Out there on the Firth it could also have been the theme-tune from Jaws: da-dun, da-dun, da-dun....!
I'm definitely not allowed any more cats (by my wife), and as it happens I think the only reason this feline puts up with me is that he gets sole attention.
Now as a peace-loving, non-violent man, these people who mistreat animals in the way you describe should be put down as a scourge on humanity. I'm not overstating it am I?

Mary Ann: As you see "Subconscious Musings #2 to #6 have been held back until I'm sure my audience is up to it! Actually I may just give them a miss because as is my way today I have been producing a whole stream of new and better musings which will probably take precedence in the coming few days.

Thank you both for commenting.

Philip said...

I hope you don't mind a couple of constructive comments -

I think your work would be more effective if you used multi-layers of paint in abstract work. This would give it greater mystery! Work always looks better (in my opinion) when the viewer wonders how it was done.

As for finding your soul - well, close your eyes and let your mind take you there. Sounds trite but you need to only look within.

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Hi Philip,
firstly - thanks for visiting my site and offering constructive comment which I value; and secondly - forgive me for my slow response, I've been a bit pre-occupied of late and I didn't know how to!

I appreciate your pointer towards layering, and it is something I am aware of, and like in other peoples work, but haven't quite got to yet. I'm sure it will come as I develop.

And you will see from my latest posting today that I am trying to dig deeper into my subconscious mind because I believe, as you allude, that is where I will find answers.

Perhaps I'll find some more answers in your blog too?

Good to meet you.

DAVID