Does Approaching an Abstract Require Emotional Nakedness?

For those who don’t know, one of my recent art practices has been to keep a small canvas hanging near whatever I’m painting and to apply any extra paint onto it from my pallet… I became disgusted with how much paint I was wasting. Because I’ve been having so much fun doing faces, that is usually what appears on them. This one was almost no different… I was working on a big abstract inspired by Miles Davis’ music and abstracts are now in my mind-space.

I started reflecting upon how I approach an abstract. If alone, the conversation is slightly different, but the essence of it remains the same as when I’m sharing what I see with someone else… it requires courage to reveal our perceptions. I firmly believe no two people see anything the same way, so this sharing of perceptions is a sharing of ourselves. We must embrace vulnerability to do this. If you are not sure how allowing yourself to be vulnerable can be empowering… read or watch anything from Brene Brown.

I was sidetracked (aka procrastinating) from writing an art history essay and thinking about a presentation I needed to give on my abstract painting work. I only had the big abstract as a new work to present… then this came to me… paint in a fast abstract next to the emerging face on the messy side-canvas… it all came together.

I feel the expression shows wonder, confusion, and some discomfort… the portrait is showing us what happens when we encounter an abstract… indifference is rare… we get a gut reaction that shows some physical manifestation. It shows us to be emotionally… naked. Cool, right?!?