YOU HAVE GOT TO LOVE WASSILY KANDINSKY

   
        If you enjoy abstract art and appreciate abstract thinking, then you have got to love Wassily Kandinsky.  I guess that you have probably figured out by now, based on my previous blogs, that I love artists that view the world with an abstract slant, and use color to achieve it.
        

       Kandinsky once wrote "I remember that drawing and a little bit later painting lifted me out of reality".  In Kandinsky's works of his early period, we find specific color combinations, which he explained that "each color lives by it's mysterious life".

        Kandinsky once recollected two events, which affected his creative future; his visiting the French impressionists in Moscow in 1895, and an emotional shock he experienced from K Monet's "Haystacks", and an impression of Rihard Wagner's "Lohengin" at the Bolshoi Theatre

        In 1912 He published "Concerning the Spiritual in Art", turning upside down the established idea about art in general, this book became the first theoretical foundation for abstractionism.

        During the wartime, he named this period of his creativity,  "a really picturesque fairy tale".  Because of the shortage of materials the formats of his pictures became ever less, up to that moment when he was compelled to be content with gouache painting, which is a type of paint consisting of pigment, a binding agent (usually gum arabic) and sometimes added inert material, all on a cardboard format.

Below are three paintings from the period:Complex Simple 1939, Colorful Ensemble, 1938 and Sky Blue, 1940.

    To quote Kandinsky "Abstract art places a new world, which on the surface has nothing to do with "reality" next to the"real" world.  Deeper down, it is subject to the common laws of the "cosmic world".  And so a "new world of art" is juxtaposed or placed side by side to the "world of nature'.  This "world of art" is just as real as concrete.  For this reason I prefer to call so-called "abstract art" "concrete art".

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Swirling Brick Wall...Where realism meets abstract

        In 2000 I owned a flower shop with my wife, I wanted to paint a floral scene and decided to make the flowers pleasing and normal, but I loved the idea of a swirling wall which defies the laws of physics.  That's why I love abstract art.  

        Many of the paintings I did in those days were to be placed on the wall behind a vignette with 

an antique piece of furniture, several objects placed around and a silk floral arrangement strategically placed in the middle.  It really sold the flowers.

      

        I don't think I would enjoy painting if it didn't have some intrigue or hidden meaning though.  I especially love the colors in this piece, it really lights up a room.

        It's fun to toy with realism and abstract art at the same time.

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India Sun

         I once had a very good friend who grew up in India.   I knew him for many years and we even contemplated going into business together.  He owned a company that cut ceramic tile and metal using high pressure water and wanted me to do the design work, but we never quit got around to it. 

        He would reminisce about his childhood and always commented on the rich culture he experienced, the wonder people he left behind and the heat of his beloved country India, yes always the heat.  It must have been very warm where he lived because it certainly left a lasting impression on him.

       

      

        With his description of his homeland and the vivid memory of how hot the summers were, I painted this piece with the tapestries of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows of the Indian sun high in the sky. He’s gone now and this painting reminds me of him, and our friendship.

        One of the great things about art, whether you paint it your self, or if you purchase it, especially abstract art,  is that you can do a whole painting around a thought or a single memory and every time you look at that painting, it will remind you of that moment.  It becomes your private thought and no one else knows what the piece really means, unless you let them know.  Every piece of art I have ever done or will do in the future has that element to it.

        The colors in this painting are warm and alive and at the same time very comforting.  They beckon you and draw you in and I'm sure that if my friend was still around,  it would surely remind him of the land that he loved.

India Sun, acrylic on canvas.

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Hirshhorn Museum-Washington D.C.

         We visited Washington D.C. last week and who could pass up an opportunity to visit the Hirshhorn Museum..  Whether you call it Abstract art, Contemporary art or even Modern art, you'll find it at the Hirshhorn.  Three floors of inspiration inside and a fabulous sculpture gardens outside.

          The Hirshhorn is part of the Smithsonian, located on the National Mall next to the Air and Space museum.  It opened in 1974 as a result of the generosity of American Entrepreneur Joseph H Hirshhorn., who donated his collection to the Smithsonian Institution in 1966.

        To use the museums own description: The Hirshhorn presents a dynamic and forward-looking array of art exhibitions, special projects and public programs that invite visitors to get closer to the art and artists of our time and experience the trans formative potential of contemporary art.  The collection of nearly 12,000 works of art includes pieces by leading artist from the late 19th century to the present day.

        The building is an elevated drum-shaped structure designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft, and has 60,000 square feet of exhibition space inside and nearly 4 acres outside in its bi-level Sculpture garden and plaza.. The building alone is a work of Modern art.

        Inside on the third level are the works from the Hirshhorn's collection by artists including Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, Francis Bacon, and many others.  
        The second level is currently showing "over, under, next: Experiments in Mixed Media, 1913 to Present".  
        The lower level has, Black Box: Democracia, Jaime Davidovich's Blue, Red, Yellow.  Out of the Ordinary featuring works by Cristo, Fritsch and Gober. Also Barbara Kruger's Belief + Doubt.















  



   









       In the Garden are sculptures by Henry Moore, Auguste Rodin, Joan Miro and others.  What a peaceful and serene place in the midst of Washington politics and tourism.  You must experience it for yourself, and don't forget to bring a pad and pencil

        What an exiting visit we had, if you enjoy contemporary abstract art, and if your ever in Washington D.C. don't miss an opportunity to experience the Hirshhorn.  It will inspire you.

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The Unabstract 1980's

Abstract art for me in the 80’s was almost non-existent.  I worked in corporate America at that time and the stress level was unbelievable, I couldn't think out of the box so to speak.    

        I was unable to come home at night and see things differently from everyone else, which is necessary to be an abstract artist.  I had to conform to the way the world viewed life in order to survive.  It was impossible to be creative, and as a result I painted nothing except two pieces, one piece I did in 1987 called Blazing Seas; which is a reminder of the blazing hot July sunrises I experienced during the years we had a vacation condo in Hilton Head, SC. 
         If you looked out at the glimmering ocean at a certain moment in the morning, it almost looked as if it was on fire.  It was a great place to relax and be creative, however generally as soon as I got back into corporate America, the stress took over and my ideas were gone, except for the memory of that beautiful morning scene, so I forced my self to paint it while the world was closing in again.  Life is good, memories are great! 

Blazing Seas, 1987, acrylic on canvas, print available soon at Adjectiveart.com

An interesting thing did occur during that same time however, I was home one Saturday morning and was painting the inside of my garage, I was working on the ceiling at the time and my daughter Erica who was about 8 or 9 at the time was vying for my attention.  The drop cloth I was using was a large light brown heavy paper, which covered the floor.  I was on a ladder and I gave her a brush and several other colors of house paint and instructed her to paint the drop cloth any way she wanted.  
        Well she was thrilled to be able to paint without restrictions, and allowed to be creative without worrying about making a mess.  After about 5 minutes or so, I looked down to see what she was creating and low and behold what appeared to be a face surfaced in the midst of the chaos.  It was her first painting, and she understood the concept of abstract art. Today by the way she’s a wonderful painter and an even better contemporary photographer. 

        Erica's first painting, untitled as of now, but prints will be available for sale in the near future.

       Years later when she was older and moved into her first apartment I framed the remaining remnants of that drop cloth and gave it to her as a house warming gift and signed it Zmakey.  She took the painting and added more color to match her living room and signed it Zmaka.  That painting is entitled Frosty Blizzard and will be on the Adjectiveart.com web site in the very near future.

        I did one other painting in 1988 during the height of my corporate stress in which I titled Stress Blues, I have misplaced that piece, but if I ever find it I will Blog about it in the future

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Moving forward in time - My first Acrylic, Oil and Water Color Abstract Art

        MOVING FORWARD IN TIME….   AFTER DOING MANY ABSTRACT PAINTINGS FOR FRIENDS IN THOSE DAYS, WORKS THAT ARE PROBABLY LOST FOREVER, I BEGAN TO KEEP TRACK OF MY CREATIONS.  THE PAINTINGS YOU SEE ON THE ADJECTIVEART.COM WEBSITE REPRESENT MANY YEARS, MANY LOCATIONS AND MANY EXPERIENCES.  ONE OF MY FIRST DOCUMENTED PAINTINGS WAS (MOTION-FIRST OF MANY), WHICH IS ON OUR CONTEMPORARY ART PAGE.  IT WAS A COMBINATION OF ACRYLIC, OIL AND WATER COLORS ON CANVAS, COMPLETED IN 1968.

        I WAS SO EXCITED TO DO THE PAINTING THAT I COULD NOT DECIDE WHICH MEDIUM TO USE, SO I USED THEM ALL.  THE FEELING AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME WAS TO MOVE OUT OF THE 60’S, WHICH BRINGS TO MIND A FAMOUS QUOTE OF CHARLES DICKENS “IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES”.  FROM THE HOPES WE HAD IN J.F.K. BEING DASHED, TO THE VIETNAM WAR REMOVING THE INNOCENCE OF OUR GENERATION, IT TRULY WAS A TURBULENT TIME TO COME OF AGE, BUT WE GOT THROUGH IT.  MANY GOOD THINGS WERE BIRTHED IN THAT DECADE HOWEVER, FROM THE PEACE MOVEMENT TO THE BEGINNING OF THE STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL EQUALITY, BOTH OF WHICH I CONTEND BATTLE ON TO THIS DAY.

        THE GREAT THING FOR AN ARTIST SURVIVING THOSE DAYS IS THAT IT GAVE ONE A LIFETIME OF EMOTIONS AND EXPERIENCES TO PLACE ON CANVAS, AND I AM.    (MOTION-FIRST OF MANY), WAS MY FIRST AND EVERYTHING I HAVE PAINTED SINCE EXPRESSES A FEELING FOR THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME.  AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, I LOVE TO EXPRESS MYSELF WITH COLOR.  I THINK THAT COLOR CAN CHANGE ONE’S MOOD.  BY USING COLOR IN ABSTRACT ART YOU CAN ACHIEVE BALANCE, STRUCTURE AND THE ILLUSION OF MANY DIFFERENT SHAPES.

MOTION FIRST OF MANY, 1968, OIL, WATER COLOR AND ACRYLIC, ON CANVAS.  PRINT AVAILABLE AT ADJECTIVEART.COM

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ADJECTIVE ART…VIEWING LIFE FROM AN ABSTRACT PROSPECTIVE - Part Two

         WELL TO CONTINUE THE STORY, ONE BY ONE HE BEGAN TO WALK NEXT TO THE LONG SHEETS OF BLACK AND WHITE PAINTED PAPER AND PROCEEDED TO TELL EACH ONE OF US HOW TERRIBLE OUR WORK WAS.  WHEN HE CAME TO MY MASTER PIECE HE CONTINUED TO CRITICIZE EACH FOOT OF IT, LIKE HE DID TO MY FELLOW CLASSMATES, UNTIL HE GOT ABOUT TEN FEET IN AND HE STOPPED AND SAID, SOMEONE GET ME A PAIR OF SCISSORS.  I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO CUT IT TO SHREDS  BUT INSTEAD HE SAID NOW THIS IS ART.  NO ONE WAS MORE SURPRISED THAN I WAS, BUT HE BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THAT IT HAD ALL THE QUALITIES NEEDED TO BE A GOOD PAINTING.  FIRST IT HAD BALANCE AND STRUCTURE, IT DID NOT FEEL LIKE IT WAS FALLING OVER.  SECONDLY IT HAD TEXTURE AND UNUSUAL SHAPES, WHICH ADDED TO THE STRUCTURE, AND WITH THE BLACK AND WHITE OVER LAPPING YOU COULD NOT TELL WHICH WAS THE BASE SO IT BECAME KIND OF INTERCHANGEABLE.  OVERALL IT WAS PLEASING TO LOOK AT, RATHER THAN UNSETTLING AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AS ARTISTS.

          THE NEXT WEEK WE WE’RE ASKED TO BRING BACK OUR BUTCHER PAPER BUT THIS TIME WE HAD TO BRING IN THE THREE PRIMARY COLORS RED, BLUE AND YELLOW IN TEMPERA PAINTS AND THREE HOUSE PAINT BRUSHES.  AND WELL YOU GUEST IT, WE WERE ASKED TO COVER THE PAPER, BUT THIS TIME USING THE THREE COLORS ONLY WITH NO MIXING TO CREATE OTHER COLORS.

          THE TEACHER THEN BEGAN TO CRITIQUE OUR WORK SIMILARLY TO HIS PREVIOUS SESSION EXCEPT HE WAS MUCH MORE CRITICAL THIS TIME.  FORTUNATELY MORE STUDENTS GOT THE MESSAGE AND PAINTED THEIR PAPER MORE DELIBERATELY AND HE FOUND MORE PIECES THAT FIT HIS DESCRIPTION OF ART.

          WELL WHEN HE CAME TO MY WORK THE CRITICISM CONTINUED AND ONCE AGAIN HE FOUND A SECTION THAT HE CUT OUT AND ADMIRED.  I WAS STILL RATHER CONFUSED BUT WHEN HE EXPLAINED WHAT I HAD ACCOMPLISHED, I FINALLY GOT IT AND IT CHANGED MY ART AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION FOREVER.  WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT IT HAD THE SIMILAR BALANCE, STRUCTURE AND TEXTURE QUALITIES AS I HAD IN THE BLACK AND WHITE PAINTING FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK, HOWEVER I ACHIEVED IT ALL WITH THE USE OF COLOR.  NOT ONLY DID THE PAINTING HAVE INTERCHANGEABLE BASES, IT HAD GREAT SHAPES THAT SEEMED TO SYMBOLIZE IN HIS MIND RECENT POLITICAL EVENTS.

          WELL I HAD NO INTENTION TO SYMBOLIZE ANYTHING, BUT HE SAID THAT IT WAS NON-OBJECTIVE ART, MEANING THAT IF THE OBSERVER SAW SOMETHING IN YOUR PAINTING OTHER THAN WHAT YOU INTENDED, THAT’S A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT GAVE THEM SOMETHING TO RELATE TO AND THEY WOULD GENERALLY FIND IT PLEASING.

          THUS BEGAN MY JOURNEY IN THE WORLD OF ABSTRACT, SOMETIMES NON-OBJECTIVE AND ALWAYS DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVE ART.  

STAY TUNED...

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