Part 4 - Research

{Assessors please see updated version of this research below the original}

What is Abstract art?

Researching abstract art is something that I have a big interest in since I have been painting abstracts in my personal work for several years now. I knew that there was much more to learn about the movement and so this exercise was a welcome interest.

I decided to use well known sources such as the Tate gallery online. Their website has been very useful for previous research and has broadened my knowledge of art history quite considerably. I focused on three interesting articles about abstract art and learnt about how old the technique actually is, with them linking back to prehistoric times, when cave men would carve into the walls of the caves.

‘Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect.’ - Tate

Abstraction can be used in art across many different themes. To abstract something is to take a subject and paint the essence rather than the actual form. An expression rather than what is seen by the human eye but instead invoking a feeling or emotion simply from the marks and textures made. Colour can also instigate an emotional reaction within abstract art, this is something I focus on a lot in my own work.

Old masters such as Turner also created in an abstract style. Turner’s painting of Moses writing the 10 Commandments is fascinating because of it’s depth. It’s like you are looking into this spiritual scene, it draws you in with the sweeping marks around the edges of the painting, almost like a tunnel. There is like an aura of light around what appears to be Moses (assumed from the title of the painting), you know something important is happening and the composition invites you to be a part of it. There are hints of blue sky peeping through the light to suggest to the viewer this is happening outside and in the centre there looks to be an object that looks like a shepherds staff. All these elements give clues to what is happening, while the sweeping strokes and light give the sense of feeling and atmosphere.

Tate. 2020. ‘Light And Colour (Goethe’S Theory) - The Morning After The Deluge - Moses Writing The Book Of Genesis’, Joseph Mallord William Turner, Exhibited 1843 | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-light-and-colour-goethes-theory-the-morning-after-the-deluge-moses-writing-the-book-n00532> [Accessed 10 December 2020].

Other artist’s touched on earlier in the course such as Matisse also worked in an abstract style, using shapes, colours and marks to convey their message.

As I researched a variety of modern day artists and some older ones on Pinterest I came across such a variety of interpretations of abstract art. I knew it was diverse but this really opened my eyes to the possibilities of where it could go.

I’ve learnt that there are many ways to express yourself in an abstract painting and I still believe there is much yet to learn. My fascination with how other artists use certain marks to depict different themes intrigue me and my curiosity of how the viewer responds to these marks and shapes is also something I am keen to explore.

For me abstraction has been a wonderful way to express my emotions during traumatic times in my life and I have found it both therapeutic and an expression of my life. The marks I made and the colours I used really affected how the paintings felt and as I look back now I can see the pain, the anguish and the scattered feelings I was going through at the time they were created. I am very keen to learn to paint abstracts in other ways not just from painful emotional experiences but to also express other themes, such as nature, landscapes and weather. There is a big world to explore out there and this excites me.

Tate. 2020. A Brief History Of Abstract Art With Turner, Mondrian And More – Look Closer | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/brief-history-abstract-art-turner-mondrian-and-more> [Accessed 9 June 2020].

Tate. 2020. Abstract Art – Art Term | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/abstract-art> [Accessed 9 June 2020].

Tate. 2020. The First Abstract Artist? (And It's Not Kandinsky): Focus: Hilma Af Klint – Tate Etc | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/tate-etc/issue-27-spring-2013/first-abstract-artist-and-its-not-kandinsky> [Accessed 9 June 2020].

**Updated Abstraction Research:

Researching abstract art is something that is of big interest to me because I have been painting abstraction in my personal work for several years now. I knew that there is more to learn about the movement and so this research task is a welcome interest.

I decided to use a well-known source - The Tate gallery online for this task. Their website has been especially useful for previous research tasks and has broadened my knowledge of art history quite considerably. I focused on three interesting articles and learnt about the age of the technique, linking back to prehistoric times.

‘Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect.’ - Tate 

Abstraction can be used across many different subjects and themes. To abstract something is to take a subject and paint the essence rather than the actual form. An expression rather than what is seen by the human eye, invoking a feeling or emotion by the marks and textures made. Colour can also instigate an emotional reaction within abstract art, this is something I focus on a lot in my own work.

The old master's such as Turner, also painted in abstraction. Turner’s painting of ‘Moses writing the 10 Commandments’ is fascinating because of its use of depth and historical meaning. It is like you are looking into this spiritual scene from the Christian Bible. Drawing you in, the sweeping marks around the edges of the painting are like a tunnel, you keep going inwards to reach the light at the end. There is an aura of light around Moses, you know something important is happening, the composition is inviting you to be a part of it. There are hints of blue sky peeping through the light to suggest this is all taking place outside. The centre contains a serpent, a symbol of curing the plague. Symbolising the height of the mountain, Moses is placed higher up the canvas and the crowd of people are suggested below. Combined, these elements tell the story, while the sweeping strokes and light create the spiritual atmosphere. The dark colours around the outside symbolise the fallen earth and the light in the centre, the purity of Gods Spirit.

Tate. 2020. ‘Light And Colour (Goethe's Theory) - The Morning After the Deluge - Moses Writing the Book of Genesis’, Joseph Mallord William Turner, Exhibited 1843 | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-light-and-colour-goethes-theory-the-morning-after-the-deluge-moses-writing-the-book-n00532> [Accessed 10 December 2020].

Artist’s I have researched earlier in the course such as Matisse also worked with abstraction. Using shapes, colours, and marks to convey their message. Whilst Turner’s style of abstraction is quite soft and sweeping, Matisse uses bold colours and curved lines and shapes to express himself. These are two good examples of how abstraction can be interpreted by different artists.

Looking at a variety of modern-day artist’s and artists from previous decades I came across a wide variety of abstract art. I knew abstraction as an art form was diverse, but this research opened my eyes to new possibilities. Painting - Peter Wray, Sculpture - Henry Moore, Installations - Derek Sprawson, Drawing - Jeanette Barnes, Collage - Simon M Smith, are just a few of the many forms of abstract art.

I have learnt that there are many ways to express yourself using the abstract painting techniques and my fascination with how marks and brush strokes can express a multitude of emotions and experiences in a painting has only deepened my desire to practice more. Artist’s may choose abstraction over representational methods because abstraction has a higher level of connection to the emotions and is therefore more in tune with the artists movements and mark making. To express an emotion through abstraction would be in the energy of a brush stroke, the splattering of paint, the angles of line work, the suggestion of form. Observational painting can of course express emotion to the viewer through the use of subject matter, colours used, linework shapes etc. To me the use of abstraction as opposed to observational would be to go deeper into an emotional state and represent feelings that cannot necessarily be expressed by the artist at the time of creation. It maybe that the artist is experiencing something in life that would cause them to not be able to express themselves in any other way, as was the case for me back in 2018 – 2019.

Going through personal trauma during this time abstract painting was a wonderful way to express my emotions when I could not paint any other way. This way of painting was both therapeutic and expressive for me, processing what had happened to me in a way that felt right at the time. The marks I made, and the colours chosen both influenced how the paintings felt and as I look back now, I can see the pain, the anguish, and the scattered feelings I was going through. Abstraction became a therapy for me, a way to connect with my own emotions, thoughts, and feelings when words did not come.

Learning to use abstraction in other ways is of interest to me, not just painting from a place of painful emotional memories but to also express happier emotions and themes, such as nature, landscapes, and the weather. There is a big world to explore with abstraction and this excites me to paint much more.

Tate. 2020. A Brief History of Abstract Art with Turner, Mondrian and More – Look Closer | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/brief-history-abstract-art-turner-mondrian-and-more> [Accessed 9 June 2020]. 

Tate. 2020. Abstract Art – Art Term | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/abstract-art> [Accessed 9 June 2020]. 

Tate. 2020. The First Abstract Artist? (And It's Not Kandinsky): Focus: Hilma Af Klint – Tate Etc | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/tate-etc/issue-27-spring-2013/first-abstract-artist-and-its-not-kandinsky> [Accessed 9 June 2020].

 

JEANETTE BARNES. 2022. Urban Drawings. [online] Available at: <https://jeanettebarnesart.co.uk/urban-drawings-2/> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Foundation, H., 2022. Collections. [online] Henry Moore Foundation. Available at: <https://www.henry-moore.org/collections> [Accessed 30 January 2022].

Stillunresolved.org. 2022. Derek Sprawson. [online] Available at: <http://www.stillunresolved.org/index.php/associates/derek-sprawson> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Gallery57.co.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.gallery57.co.uk/simon-m-smith> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Riverbankgallery.co.uk. 2022. Peter Wray. [online] Available at: <https://www.riverbankgallery.co.uk/peter-wray/> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Researching other artists who use abstraction in their work I chose:

Emma Lock:

Emma Lock, Ipswich Suffolk has been an artist for a long time but only recently started to delve into abstraction. Her work fascinates me because she has a very different approach to mine and takes time to plan out her painting before starting it. Creating mood-boards and colour swatches, sketching and I am sure other things go into her process before she begins. Lock primarily works in acrylic paint on wood panels and her palettes are usually very earthy, natural tones. Her marks are very precise and calculated and yet the outcome is very soothing and interesting. The marks Lock creates using many different tools including basic scraping tools from hardware stores, create shapes that mirror nature and evoke a sense of calm. Lock includes pattern in some of her paintings, using dots and drips to enhance the painting.

‘By the Frozen Lake’ is a beautiful example of how Lock uses shapes, marks and gestures to evoke a feeling of place and time. Although not an obvious scene of a frozen lake, the colours used, the composition and placement of the colours express the scene beautifully and you can easily imagine being in this place, the chill of the ice, the earthy tones of the ground and surrounding trees peeping through the snow and the pencil marks give the illusion of tracks in the snow.

Art, E., 2020. By The Frozen Lake. [online] Emma Lock Art. Available at: <https://www.emmalockart.com/product/by-the-frozen-lake> [Accessed 10 December 2020].

Lock’s paintings are beautiful and her progression as a young artist is amazing to see. Her growth in such a short time is lovely to watch and I am looking forward to seeing what she creates next.

Art, E., 2020. Emma Lock Art. [online] Emma Lock Art. Available at: <https://www.emmalockart.com/> [Accessed 6 December 2020].

2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.instagram.com/EmmaLockArt/> [Accessed 10 December 2020].

**Updated to include more depth on this artist (as suggested by tutor) and to re-write in an academic style:

Emma Lock, Ipswich Suffolk has been painting for a long time but only recently started to delve into abstraction. Her work fascinates me because she has a vastly different approach to mine, taking time to plan out her painting in her sketchbook before putting paint to canvas. Creating mood-boards, colour swatches and sketching is all part of Lock’s process. Primarily working with acrylic paint on wood, Lock combines very earthy, natural tones in very considered shapes. Lock’s marks are very precise and calculated and yet the outcome is very soothing and interesting, not forced, or lifeless.

Using many different tools, Lock creates shapes with paint that mirror nature and evoke a sense of calm. Lock includes pattern in some of her paintings, using dots and drips to enhance, adding depth, and meaning.

‘By the Frozen Lake’ is a beautiful example of how Lock uses shapes, marks, and gestures to evoke a feeling of place and time. Although not an obvious scene of a frozen lake, the colours used, the composition and placement of the colours express the scene beautifully and you can easily imagine being in this place. The chill of the ice, the earthy tones of the ground and surrounding trees peeping through the snow, the addition of pencil marks in the lower right corner give the illusion of tracks in the snow.

The pink-greys comfort you like a warm jumper while the frost stings your face. The grey mixed with white in the centre is reminiscent of sludgy snow that has been soiled by the trampling of many feet. 

‘By the Frozen Lake’ is a connection to collective memories held by us all of Winter’s past and present. The chill of the air and the barren landscape enveloped with the glistening white snow. Bringing together the beauty and starkness of the Winter landscape.   

Liz Lane Art:

Liz Lane, Alabama USA. Liz Lane’s work has inspired me so much over the years. Lane’s use of pale and bold colours together with her expressive marks, made mostly in oil paints have a very enticing effect on the viewer. Lane by admission is a frantic painter. An owner of a gallery in her home town, Wife, Mother and Activist are many of the titles Lane embodies. Lane’s life is often hectic and that is certainly reflected in the paintings she produces yet some of her paintings still evoke a sense of calmness.

Lane's abstract painting style spans beyond mark-making to abstracting florals, landscapes and her most recent work has also incorporated 3d materials to create a very unusual mix of paint and sculptures protruding from the canvas. I personally don’t find this mix of materials a pleasant or calming image to look at. The contrast of materials feel at odds to each other fighting to be seen with the sculptures winning over. Lanes oil paintings, large in size are quite awe inspiring and grouped together create a wonderful sense of light and beauty, reminiscent of Spring time and re-birth of the garden.

Lizlaneart.com. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.lizlaneart.com/> [Accessed 6 December 2020].

Lizlanegallery.com. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.lizlanegallery.com/shop-1> [Accessed 6 December 2020].

Liz Lane Art 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.instagram.com/lizlaneart/> [Accessed 6 December 2020].

Katie Jobling:

Katie Jobling, Derbyshire, UK. Whilst known for her more impressionist style of florals, seascapes and landscapes, Katie Jobling has also dabbled in abstraction. Jobling’s main works border on the abstract with her loose strokes and dreamy marks and so I thought it would be interesting to take a closer look at the abstract parts of her work and look further into how she approaches abstraction.

Katie Jobling, 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.instagram.com/katiejoblingart/> [Accessed 6 December 2020].

Looking closer at Jobling’s abstract paintings you can see an influence of Turner in her soft, dramatic, sweeping marks. Jobling has talked about her abstract work on her YouTube channel and blog commenting that she uses snippets from magazines to influence her colour palette for an abstract painting. Jobling puts a lot of her life experience and emotions into her paintings with the types of marks she makes, colour choices and theme.

One particular painting ‘A New Day’, based on a sunset, took over a year to complete. Painting over layer by layer as her emotions changed during a difficult year. The painting changed form several times in response to her feelings at the time and finished as bright and hopeful. Jobling describes this painting representing a healing in her.

Jobling, K., 2020. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXoXKSoPq8> [Accessed 10 December 2020].

Jobling also paints abstract seascapes which are created using a simple but effective technique using a palette knife to give lots of texture and atmosphere. These feel quite different to Jobling’s large abstracts in that they are calmer and yet more textured. Usually smaller in size these little abstracts feel more like a pleasant stroll along the beach verses the large emotive, expressive pieces.

Jobling has managed to create a diverse approach to her abstract paintings and each work in their own way, draws the viewer into a different world of her creation.

Looking deeper into the meaning behind these painters abstract works has been so interesting and to look more closely at what makes a painting evoke a particular emotional response or feeling of a place as really deepened my own knowledge to go forward and take into my own work.