Why Abstracts?

Written for the IWS Nov/Dec Newsletter 2019; for better readability, see below the image.

I told our sons I would never paint abstracts, well guess what? I am explaining to them why their Mom continues to paint realism but has added abstracted paintings to her work.

This article is my response to their inquiry as well as my art students that have watched my work expand. Why would I as an artist paint abstract? What brings me to abstract’s mystery, purpose, or importance? How have abstracts helped me in personal discoveries and thoughts?

Why I paint abstracts

• Forces me to think in deeper terms of the elements and principles of art
• Brings a renewed excitement and passion to my work
• Increase my visual experience, helps me interpret the world in new stories
• Enables me to discover fresh ways to interpret my thoughts, my personal voice, and style
• Pushes my limits, reminding me of the feeling of someone new to art  
• Challenges my sense of wonder and intrigue
• Develops a new appreciation of what it takes to make good design
• The experience I get when I play, experiment and expand my ideas; how can I use these methods, colors, textures, etc.….
• For the joy of discovering & inspirational adventures
• Increases my variety of media, tools and methods
• Pushes new difficult colors, design and unusual compositions
• Rearranges the elements and principles of art to bring a freshness to my work

Outcomes from working on abstract art

• When I critique my students’ artwork, my critique is rich and more diverse than before abstracts
• It helps me develop my personal voice and help others discover theirs
• Increases my student base and their horizons
• Encourages the study of more kinds of art
• Opens a new client base with increased sales
• Helps me in the interest of more variety in series of my paintings
• Abstract sharpens my skills in judging shows to have deeper appreciation for strengths and weaknesses of design
• I get a new layer of understanding and skill in my realistic work
• I receive new excitement and set aside more studio hours
• Helps me travel my viewer through art in a fresh perception
• Increases depth of knowledge
• Appreciation for more styles of work
• Builds my confidence and ability to risk the unknown

Personal Abstracts

My abstracts are the rearranging of a subject or an idea into a new visual expression. The process can be very planned or free flowing with problem solving all along the way to final discovery. I take the viewer on an intentional journey through my artwork.  My abstracts are purposeful using elements and principles of design arranged into new compositions and directions. My work has emotion and style woven into new forms that artists and clients can still recognize as a Linda Aman work of art.

I challenge you to explore new territory and thought processes in your current work. Take risk and know you are the only one who can produce the art you create. You are uniquely you. Enjoy the experience, go more for the education than the results and results will come.

If you are interested in abstracts, I have a three day retreat I teach every year.  

-Linda