The Season for Abstract

I've had the pleasure of squeezing in more abstract work in the studio this month.

There is a small pile of 12" x 12" black and white canvases in the studio that needed some extra TLC, and this is one such canvas. I've added my favorite color combo (orange and cyan) into the black and white mix, mostly by using a palette knife and a little extra patience.

The result is looking quite interesting, especially from where it originally started.

I've played with platte knives off an on over the years, and it is a painting process I'm still trying to get the hang of. Seems to help if you really cake on the paint in order to spread it around, like butter on toast. I like how the layers of paint form miniature terraforms on the surface, small peaks and valleys of level paint created by the bottom of the knife. (Sadly, my terrible iPhone photo doesn't do the painting justice.)

I don't know where any of these paintings will take me, creatively, but it's been nice to just paint. I don't get to do that for myself much, and I've been taking time here and there when I can find it.

Finding creative inspiration in places I didn't think to look, either, has helped, as well. Plus, painting these pieces while re-wwatching "Mad Men" has been giving me the creative kick in the jeans I've been needing. There is a A LOT of great abstract art used as set dressing in that show.

Anyhow, back to the painting lab. Much more experimentation left to do.