Wednesday, December 16, 2009

More notes on Abstract Art

Further reading in the history of abstract art revealed the opening up of a new world of possibilities in modern art as the era of representational art dimmed. Also as new scientific discoveries were made, abstract art flourished in a parallel universe. Not representing, in an illustrative way, the discoveries, but an opening up of the mind of the artists.

In "Painting in the 20th Century" Werner Haftmann writes "... abstract painting offered possibilities of expressing in pictorial terms the spontaneous processes which take place within the personality. It also provided the associations and suggestions with which an inner experience of reality could be made visible. This pervasive preoccupation with the possibilities of abstract painting resulted in the fact that each painter undertook for himself a fresh speculative examination of pictorial means and formal processes. Meditation and speculation became for the contemporary painter closely related forces which held his creative work in a state of tension."

He also stated that "The inevitable effect of these reflections was that the painters perceived much more clearly the astonishing correspondences between contemporary intuitive and scientific experiences of the world and nature. The complex structure of matter, the concept of mass as dynamic energy, the concept of the magnetic field, the overlappings of time and space, of the finite and infinite, were now seen by the artist for what they really were: parallel manifestations of a more abstract experience of reality, an experience which was fully active in himself also."

Art, in this new way of thinking exploded all over the western world.

Abstract art on paper : "Duality"


ABSTRACT ART ON PAPER

In a more structured way, the drawing kept to a loose geometric construction of shapes and forms. Pen, markers acrylic paint and pastels were utilized in a intuitive, flowing pattern. The question of mind and matter, good and evil, man and woman surfaced after.

To view more abstract art, drawings and collage, visit- http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Abstract art on paper




ABSTRACT ART ON PAPER
Here are 3 examples of abstract works on paper done a few years ago. They were executed in pen and ink, acrylics, markers, oil pastels and pastels. Small abstract works on paper, start at times, as a process of 'fleshing out' thoughts and ideas, with the thinking that I'll enlarge and paint a larger version. It rarely happens. I'm more drawn to spontaneous work, tentative, intuitive and largely abstract. The thoughts and ideas evolve as if on a trek into the mind, lost in thought.

The Titles are 1. Contravene 2. Cornices 3. Declining Prude. ( A parody on the ever popular title 'Reclining nude')

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Carving- Abstract drawing


Carving evolved from scratching pen and pencil lines into a form more abstract than real. The pen acting as a chisel. Carving into existence this entity.

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Abstract drawing - Binary


While abstractly drawing, the forms gradually divided itself in two. Like an amoeba cell sub-dividing. Binary Fission.

Has anyone heard the outcome of The Collider? Slamming atoms at nearly the speed of light, in a sense, a small attempt at recreating the "Big Bang".

The action of cell division is also the earliest stage in the human ovum dividing itself after fertilization, orderly, to create a new being.

The drawing is the result of a wandering pen, many thoughts on a variety of fundamental things, then embellished with pastels, conte crayons and oil pastels.

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Monday, November 30, 2009

Abstract Drawing- "Awakening Molecules"


Are we creating today, genetically modified organisms that could prove resistant to all our current methods of curtailing them? Are we moving too fast in our experiments? Can we control the extent of the mutations that could occur?

Conversely, are we moving fast enough to cure diseases, hunger, starvation and desertification?

"Awakening Molecules" raises these issues and more. Of course, this is just a line drawing animating the questions. Wriggling these nagging issues into the consciousness of those who could do more. Those who could easily waste less. Knowing that much of the solutions are within our collective grasp.

But this is a two dimensional line drawing.

To view this drawing and many more paintings, drawings, collages, and prints, visit-

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Three Abstract Drawings





Three abstract drawings on paper, " A State of Flux," "Advancing," "Aroused".

For more further viewing of these drawings and other paintings, drawings, collages and prints, visit-

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Abstract Drawing- A new form emerges


A new form emerges from the barren plateaus of a blank paper. It is pen and ink that extracts it from the mind to the paper.

Notes from"Kandinsky"
Today, I'm reflecting on this quote from Kandinsky:
"The work of art must serve the development and refinement of the human soul: indeed, art is the "daily bread" of the soul. The artist, Kandansky continues, is no Sunday's Child of life. " He has a difficult task to fulfil, which often becomes a cross to bear. He must know that every one of his actions and thoughts and feelings constitutes the subtle, untangible, and yet firm material out of which his works are created, and that hence he cannot be free in life - only in art."

Such profound statements must be digested slowly. What are your views on the opinions of Kandinsky, the father of abstract art? Did his work reflect his words?

The drawing shown and others can be viewed at
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Saturday, November 28, 2009

Art and Nature by Picasso

Picasso's views on Nature and Art

Picasso in "Picasso on Art, A Selection of Views" by Dore Ashton, stated "They speak of naturalism in opposition to modern art. I would like to know if anyone has ever seen a natural work of art. Nature and art being two different things, cannot be the same thing. Through art we express our conception of what nature is not." ( De Zayas, 1923)

In another opinion on nature Picasso compares art and nature in previous eras.

" Nature is one thing and painting is quite another. Painting is the equivalent of nature. We must thank the painters for the image we have of nature. We perceive it through their eyes. Generally speaking, we stick to to the reproduction which the classical painters gave us, like the painters of the seventeenth century, Poussin. The image they gave is accepted as the true nature, because their syntax is well established. But we have no assurance that this image is truer than other images created in other epochs. Actually it isn't anything more than a question of signs. It has been agreed upon that a specific sign represents a tree, another a house, a man, a woman; exactly as in a language the word 'man' evokes the image of a man, the word 'house' a house and this in all languages although in every language the word varies. It's an established convention by the use of these signs" (Warnod 1945)

What are your views on nature and modern art?

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Abstract drawing-Der Barber


Using charcoal to explore a more textured line drawing journey across the page. The end result suggested, in an abstract way, figures in a barber shop. Pastels were used to enhance the background. The drawing was executed on paper.

To view more abstract artworks, paintings, drawings, collage and digital fusions and prints, visit

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Abstract art - 3 the hard way


Notes to 3 the hard way

Using oil pastels, a medium that allows for fluid, unrestricted action, 3 figures emerged from the darkness and forcefully presented themselves on the page.

In 1911, Guillaume Apollinaire, the spokesman on Cubism wrote that they had accepted a profound connection between the Cubist multiple perspectives and the dynamic nonperspective conception of space-time and had made the concept of the fourth dimension a commonplace of modern aesthetics and the vocabulary of modern art.

"Dynamic nonperspective" seem to be a contradiction in terms, but the dynamism in a fluid, almost aggressive attack on the paper seem to propel the figures forward. Menacingly.

To view my online gallery, visit

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Paul Klee's Pictorial Universe

One of the artist that I've read about avidly, is Paul Klee. Born in 1879, his was a brilliant career that incorporated Cubism, and the German alternative to Cubism - German Expressionism. Working with his friend Wassily Kandinsky, considered the father of Abstract art, as tutors at the Bauhaus. Much is written about both artists.

Today I wanted to draw reference to the wide ranging subject matter and sources, Klee incorporated in his inventions.

Phillip Larson wrote " His internal source books laid out Cubist frameworks, stratified color charts, calligraphic flourishes, children's drawings, proto-Surrealist doodles, toys and puppets, caricatures, tribal masks, minute zoological/biological specimens, architectural/theatrical perspectives, pictographs/hieroglyphs, and, of course, all keys to the German typewriter. To this day, no historian has secured the critical perimeters around the prodigious collector-progenitor."

His love for music, musical instruments and the theatre were also depicted in numerous drawings and paintings.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Wall of Silence


Wall of Silence

In many high-crime communities, you dare not speak out or report what you see.

This Abstract artwork evolved using oil pastels, Employing layers of color then scratching away the upper surface to reveal the underlying colors. Metaphorically revealing the 'truth.' Injustice is fast and violent. Justice is slow, tedious and unreliable. Silence is safer. Safety is sense. It seems.

To view other abstract paintings, drawings, collage, digital fusions and prints, visit-

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Monday, November 9, 2009

"Verdant" - Abstract artwork


VERDANT
Using oil pastels on black paper, meandering lines evolved into something abstract but tangible. After a long dry summer the land becomes verdant once more.

Today, distant rumble, dark ominous clouds warn of a downpour.

Worked on finishing two abstract pieces on paper, yesterday. I thought I was finished, but a new thought, a new technique changed the picture. Was it a piece of bad news that impelled me to slash red paint over a 'completed' piece? Who knows. When I'm working, the impulses intervene. I'm just a hand, a conduit.

To see more abstract artworks - paintings, drawings, digital fusions, prints, visit -
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Abstract painting- Triad 3


Today, was spent reading emails and avidly following links to gain more information. Topics ranging from how to write a more interesting blog. To write topics that will engage the reader, to hold their attention, amuse and entertain them. In Success magazine - on creating a full life, maximize your days and leave a legacy. Then in my email folder dozens of offers to get rich quickly using online marketing. Great reading.

Now to return to my blog. The painting above was started with a vigorous brush outline in black, green was added to fill the spaces, then white paint was introduced to add volume to what was emerging. Three abstract personages emerged from the ochre background. Were they members of a triad, meeting to plot something sinister? Or were the swirls representing a karate kata? With abstract expressionism, many interpretations can be formed. It's interesting to hear comments by viewers, because individuals 'see' and interpret something that is subjective and relevant to their experiences. Quite different from what I see. After all, I'm using paint, shapes, form, color and texture to arrive at this end result.

To view more unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collage, and digital fusions, visit-
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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Synthesis 6 - Abstract Painting/Collage


Synthesis- fusing abstract elements

Synthesis is defined in the dictionary as follows- Combination, composition, putting together, building up of separate elements esp. of conceptions or propositions or facts, into a connected whole, esp. a theory or system; joining of divided parts.

This abstract painting/collage - "Synthesis 6" is a fused composition of line drawings, pastel, oil pastel, collage of paintings, magazine and other paper elements to build up a new entity of expanded forms. It was one of a series on the theory of synthesizing disparate, divided elements - abstract pen and ink drawings, old paintings,colored magazine paper- into a more unified composition.
To view this painting/collage, other unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collage and digital combinations and prints visit-

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Stolen Oranges- abstract art


I guess it must have happened once too often. And that was it.

Many stories have been told, the one I heard: the owner in a fit of rage, hired a huge tractor and flattened 30 acres of his orange grove. Thieves were reaping more than he did. So he ended their plunder.

The title for the abstract work above, merely alluded to that event. What started as a monotype with black silkscreen ink, was enhanced by acrylic paint and pastels. It was done in a fast abstract expressionist style with little thought given to anything representational. It started with circular shapes that evolved into this final composition.

To view more unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collages and digital fusions visit-
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Abstract art -Squarely


In the previous post, the painting's colors were distorted. Here's another upload of "Squarely"

Abstract Art: Squarely


Fusing the formal with the informal. Contrasting loose swirls of ink with geometric squares and rectangles. Life is like that. Hot days contrasting with cold nights. Light and dark. Good and bad. Abstract and representational. War and peace. Some win others lose. Resolving issues in abstract art is a constant dialectic of countering views.

The introduction of the internet and the web has opened new avenues for better control by the artist in exposing their work to a much wider audience. No longer the strict guiding hand of those who had exclusive access to buyers. Now there is much more control of the way to produce, promote, market and be better rewarded. Recently reading Hazel Dooney and her strong views on controlling every aspect of her work, was an eye-opener. With access to an online gallery - Yessy.com, this blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and my email, I've widened my access to an international audience. Hopefully, sales will follow.

This blog, helps in clarifying my thoughts on art and putting them out in short snippets, that when read in its entirety, will provide a better understanding of what I do, even to myself. At times, I'm inclined to explain the process of painting as a purely intuitive one. But, after painting, drawing and observing the works of countless numbers of artists, reading widely on their thoughts and style, I believe what emerges from my pen and brush is the cumulative output of years of study.

I'm totally engrossed in the creative process, when painting and drawing, oblivious of my surroundings, almost in a semi-conscious state, solving and resolving issues on art. Recently, I've started combining art with musical compositions, uploading on YouTube - http://youtube.com/Emooyoung This has opened new ideas and thoughts for future developments.


To view other unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collages and digital fusion, visit -
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Skeletal forms


Skeletal Forms
The abstract artwork, "Skeletal Forms" was painted a long time ago. While exploring bones, structures and the uncanny strength that supports so much weight, led to a total re-arrangement of how our anatomy is structured. The elements would be now used in an abstract and random combination, To form a new 'personage'. Paint, color, line and form would take precedence.

The charcoal drawing underlay, led to color being introduced, then background color was added, scraped, changed, obscured, new forms revealed and blended into a new and unique composition.

Acrylic paint is versatile-it can produce from pale watercolor washes, to heavy impasto, it can blend with any medium or technique and it can be over-painted endlessly. Thick watercolor paper is essential for this rigorous process. To seal and preserve the painting, two coats of acrylic varnish is recommended.

To view other unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collages and digital fusions visit
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Abstract Art-Seated Figure #7


Seated Figure #7, quietly emerged from a series of vertical lines. Lines drawn with pastels, oil pastels, charcoal, pencil and acrylics, the personage took a seat quietly. The lines accentuate planes of diverse thoughts and tangents, returning, eventually, to the central figure.

To view other abstract paintings, drawings, collages and digital prints, visit-
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Monday, October 5, 2009

Picasso's remarks on art

While browsing through my dusty collection of art books, I came across "Picasso on Art- A selection of views" by Dore Ashton.

Christian Zervos, in 1935, put down these remarks of Picasso immediately after a conversation with him. Here's an interesting excerpt,

"A picture is not thought out or settled beforehand. While it is being done it changes as one's thought change. And when it is finished, it still goes on changing, according to the state of mind of whoever is looking at it. A picture lives a life like a living creature, undergoing the changes imposed on us by our life from day to day. This is natural enough, as the picture lives only through the man who is looking at it."

Abstract Painting -Roots


Consider the force of a tree root thrusting downward into dry parched earth. What a quiet but relentless force. Perhaps moving a millimetre per day. But if it is to survive, thrust it must. The abstract painting above "Roots Force" attempts to allude to this phenomenon. The small acrylic painting on paper, tries to demonstrate in plastic form, the aggressive movement of the brush in an abstract expressionistic style. In working, no real thought is given to styles or techniques, just a response to the intuition, guided by thoughts, mood, music and the colors at hand.

More paintings and drawings can be viewed by clicking on the videos at right.

Additional abstract paintings, unusual abstract drawings, collages, digital art and prints can be viewed at
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery

Monday, September 28, 2009

Purple Haze-Abstract painting


The Abstract mixed media painting is entitled "Purple Haze".

Must have been listening to Jimi Hendrix though I'm not so sure. Just glancing at "Are you Experienced" The CD by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Surprised to see that he, at various times, backed B.B. King, Sam Cooke, Solomon Burke, Chuck Jackson, and Jackie Wilson. He also backed Little Richard, Ike and Tina Turner, before he started his own band. What a great start to his stellar, but short-lived career.

Just missed going to Woodstock to see him perform. A performance that some have described as one of the greatest guitar virtuso the rock world had ever seen.

Picasso once said " Everybody wants to understand painting. Why is there no attempt to understand the song of a bird. Why does one love a night, a flower, everything that surrounds a man, without trying to understand it all? Abstract art is difficult to explain verbally. It alludes to something. Something simple or profound. It can move you, to love it or hate it. The effect can be immediate or transcendental, a challenge to the known, to the orderly.

To view more abstract paintings, drawings, collages or digital experiments visit-
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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Abstract Painting influenced by Science?

I just read an interesting theory about the radical shift in thinking and the conception of reality that took place at the turn of the 20th century in Modern Art.

To quote from 'Painting in the Twentieth Century' by Werner Haftmann, - " Dates seem to suggest that some kind of connection exists between science and painting. The radical changes in painting took place between 1900 and 1910. Significant dates are: 1905 Fauvism; 1907 Cubism; 1910 the first abstract painting. A concordance of of dates important in the history of science runs thus: 1900 Planck's quantum theory; and Freud's Interpretation of Dreams; 1905 Einstein's special theory of relativity; 1908 Minkowski's mathematical formulation of the dimensions of space-time."

Many artists such as Klee, Kandinsky, Delaunay and others have stated that their encounters with the discoveries of natural science often threw light upon their own intuitive and artistic activity.

What do you think? That there was a close connection between the new discoveries in science and the radical shifts in the way art was viewed by the prominent and well read artists of these early periods of the 20th century? I think so.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Abstract art on the verandah


This abstract digital artwork evolved from a photo of our verandah, full of plants, that has been completely reworked. Digitally painted, retouched, splashed splattered, erased and then reworked again.

The bits and pieces of abstract color are symbolic of many hours spent sipping intensely satisfying cups of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee in the morning, watching the misty covered mountain and the sun interplay then sneak over the top. Here I've drawn many sketches, noted many thoughts...seeking to redefine myself, to welcome the new day. To live in the moment. To Awaken the Giant Within. As Tony Robbins states, the single most important step in weeding the gardens of our mind is to interrupt our limiting patterns. So the verandah provides the quiet time to prepare for the new day. Yesterday is past and gone forever, never to return. As some wise person has said- today is a gift, that's why it's called the present. Tobias Wolff states "we define ourselves and our deepest values by the choices we make, day by day, hour by hour, over a lifetime."

For more unusual abstract paintings, unique abstract drawings, collages and digital abstract art, visit:
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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Abstract Digital art: "Light Variations"


Unlike the fear of a blank canvas or paper, when nothing seem to happen. The mind is as blank as the paper. Using a digital photo as a starting point brings its own set of mind freezing possibilities. The objective: to create something entirely new, unique, entirely different and... abstract.

It must have been music that encouraged me to keep abstracting, refining, reforming, retouching and reducing a digital photo into increasingly flattened forms. The various components artists use include line, shape, form, color, space, value and texture, to create a composition.

The fixed elements in a photo require that the aesthetic manipulations are in more selected areas. leaving central elements almost untouched. You 'arrive' at the outcome when you've exhausted many trials and techniques.

To view more abstract digital fusions, contemporary abstract paintings, unusual abstract drawings, unique abstract collages and prints, visit: http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Hierarchy in Abstract art


The definition of hierarchy in the dictionary will not be useful this time. The abstract painting alluded to the interlinking of family and the generations past, the myths, rituals, superstitions that resulted in what we have today. It is an abstract concept translated into a lyrical abstract expressionist form.

It's an experimental work, weaving from corners to the central forms and shapes leading to an undefined form. Background color was later added to the initial pencil drawing. The exploration continues.

More experimental abstract paintings, drawings, collages, unusual digital fusions, and prints can be viewed at
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Group travel:Escape into abstraction


Have you ever thought about losing everything? Escaping into the night with just the clothes on your back? So often, we read and see these stories, real life brutalities, more macabre and murderous than a Shakespearean tragedy. Unfolding on the nightly news. The genocide in Darfur and other places. The mass movement of thousands, even millions of people to refugee camps. People who once had a home, a family... a life.

One night of mindless slaughter and the panic begins. It's survival and communal, it's the desperate exodus to save the family. It's Group Travel.

Though the title came after the painting, no attempt was made to be descriptive of the real situation, abstract painting, drawing, form and color was used to allude to the tragedies unfolding nightly.

The triptych- "Group Travel" is a combination of acrylic paint, drawing and mixed media techniques on paper.

To view other striking abstract paintings, drawings, mixed media artworks, collages and prints visit- http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Contemporary Abstract Collage-'Global"


Watching an episode of "Locked Up Abroad", reminded me of a small abstract collage painting I produced a few years ago - "Global".

Global travel is usually meant to be fun, educational or for business connections and development. But with the advent of 9/11, travel has its rewards but also filled with danger. North Korea, Iran and other countries can make innocent explorations a real trial. You could be designated a spy and that could be the beginning of a long and torturous journey back home.

"Global", is an abstract collage using elements of magazine clippings, line drawings, acrylic paint and oil pastels. The aligning of interlocking and diverse elements create new meanings, some ominous.

Additional and unusual abstract collages, contemporary abstract paintings, unique pen and pencil drawings, digital abstract fusions, and prints are available at http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery

Monday, August 17, 2009

Abstract art- "Germinate"


Is there anything tougher than a tamarind seed? This hard protective coating would need a sturdy hammer to crack open. Yet, when conditions become favorable, they soften and soon a delicate young shoot emerges. They process is repeated in so many other seeds, preceding germination. Ideas, too, need time to percolate. To be stimulated, then burst forth and emerge. It's a force of nature, defying simple scientific definition.

The abstract painting- "Germinate" merely allude to this phenomenon. Organically evolving on the paper, bounded by flowing lines, a section exceeds the boundary and emerges from the compartment. Is it, like a seed of corn, emerging in a time preceding drought, doomed to wither and die? Or are there gray clouds looming in the distance, signaling stormy conditions, rain and then prosperity? Painted in acrylics and flowing lines, the answer is to be seen.

For additional contemporary abstract paintings, unusual abstract collage, unique mixed media collage, giclee canvas art,and abstract line drawings, visit- http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery

Friday, August 14, 2009

Abstract art - Exploring a theme


ABSTRACT ART AND AUTOMATISM
Thinking abstractly, sometimes the thought is to enjoy the most freedom in drawing in a confined compartment. It brings to mind Automatism.

This style can be described as a technique for freeing the imagination to produce creative works that are free of conscious control. It emphasizes the importance of the unconscious as a source of inspiration. Automatism is a technique made famous, initially, by the Surrealists painters. Taking many forms. Many styles.

In a parallel development, Jazz musicians created new styles - such as non-idiomatic improvisation called Free Jazz.

In this series, called "Freeing the Lines" 1-4, the attempt is to create free, abstract, active improvised lines in restricted spaces. Then make small explosions of color at random.

More contemporary abstract paintings, drawings, unique abstract collage art, digital fusion prints can be explored at
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Thursday, August 6, 2009

Abstract Art Collage-"Flurry"


"Flurry" is a small abstract art collage, using a combination of pen and ink drawings, small paintings, acrylic painting and a flurry of rapidly drawn lines, vigorously executed.. In a sense, it's a flurry of activity, a flurry of elements combined to create a new combination, a new relationship to each other.

More abstract art collage, unique abstract expressionistic art, abstract pencil drawings, contemporary abstract art, experimental digital art, and prints can be viewed at http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Whipping up an Abstract drawing - Flagella


Whipped into Abstraction, into Existence

Artists staring at a blank sheet of paper can be stilled into inaction. Whipping out a pen and drawing in a 'whiplike' manner can start the process of creating a piece of abstract art moving. Randomly moving across the page, in a dream-like fashion, the process continues. Color is slowly added, a scribble here a slashing line there. It's a whirlwind of random acts.

The title came to mind - "Flagella". A flagellum, the singular form, is the latin word for whip. A flagellum is a tail-like structure that projects from the cell body of certain prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and functions in locomotion. An example of a eukaryotic flagellated cell is the sperm cell. The cell uses its flagellum to propel itself through the female reproductive tract and the end result is a new life.

Abstract painting and drawing can encompass many forms, any subject. It's about anything and everything. It evokes meaning, it stimulates emotions, it can be a complex mass, a simple line or the choice of colors that render a poetic feeling visible. It should speak for itself, if anyone is listening. On the other hand, it can be tumultuous and exhilarating as a four storey drop, while sliding down a chute at Aquatica. While trying to look cool to my grandkids.

Other unusual abstract paintings, abstract drawings, collages, mixed media contemporary art, digital experimental fusions and prints are available at http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Abstract drawing -Erratic/erotic


"Erratic/erotic" is an abstract artwork comprising lyrical abstract drawing using colored pens and markers.

Abstract art collage - "Upward"


"Upward" is a lyrical abstract collage with line drawing and painting elements.

After a 3 week hiatus in Florida, I'm ready again to blog.
Saturday, June 27, saw the "world's fastest man", Usain Bolt win the 100 metres at the National Senior Championships in Jamaica.
Saturday July 18, visited a number of galleries in Miami Art District.
Saturday, July 18, tried all the scary rides at Aquatica in Orlando with grandkids.

For more unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collage and digital experiments visit
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Monday, July 6, 2009

Abstract window


How's this for singlemindness? I once read a short article about a photographer who lived in an apartment overlooking Central Park. From a specific window, he recorded the varying changes that occured at certain times of the day, the changes of the seasons, the changes that occured when the weather moved from summer to winter and from stormy to sunny days. The changes must have been remarkable, all from one window, as varied as the patterns on a croton leaf.

From many windows in Jamaica, the views from the north are the hills and mountain ranges, to the south the ports and beaches, the sugar cane fields.

To the east, the rising morning sun, streaming through the mango trees. To the west more trees, the setting sun.

The painting "Window" is an abstract culmination of many views fused together. All sourced from memory and the imagination.

It's an acrylic painted modern abstract artwork, a network of animated, dancing forms. It's a small abstract painting, with much larger implications in an ever changing polluted world.

These and other unusual abstract paintings, powerful abstract collages, contemporary mixed media original art, original pen and ink drawings, unique digital fusions, giclee prints can be viewed at
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Friday, July 3, 2009

ART Quotes for Today

Jackson Pollock (1912 - 1956)
It's not your painting anymore. It stopped being your painting the moment that you finished it.

Jeff Melvoin, Northern Exposure, Fish Story, 1994
Every time I paint a portrait I lose a friend.

A thoughtful quote for today. That's why I skillfully decline requests for portraits, You're safer with Abstract Art. Of course, if you have an aunt like mine, she may tell you "abstract art is the product of a confused mind."

The Fine Art of Wandering Abstractly


Aimlessly wandering around New York City is one of my great joys, on these now rare occasions. There is a surprise on every corner. The longer you stay away, the greater the surprise. Once I hurriedly took an early morning train, transferred to the MTA bus, in great anticipation, for a visit to the Metropolitan Museum. Did I say it was a Monday morning? And they're closed on that day? Well, wandering I did, slowly traversing Central Park. Going to 57th street, where I was an art student in 1970. Remembering the student protests in Columbus Circle. Eating at truck drivers stops. (You get huge helpings, cheap). Those were interesting days.

Wandering, is a pursuit I enjoy. Deliberatly, heading nowhere in particular. My favorite Delicatessen, book shops with old books, antiques, old maps, very old magazines. The Russian Tea Room. I once saw Muhamed Ali on 57th street, near the Art Student League, surrounded by fans. Moving towards Broadway, the theatres, movie houses and peep shows. How can there be so many gift shops in a block?

"Wandering," the abstract collage above, evolved out of a wish not to discard a well drawn map. Obviously of no use to me now, probably inserted in an old National Geographic, I decided to create a collage from it. A central drawing emerged from the now mental 'wandering' across the surface. Collage elements were added. Acrylic paint embellished certain areas. With the advent of GPS in most new cars, a map is now becoming obsolete. Who can read it anyway? Who has the time?

In this abstract collage painting, a new life was restored from an old map.

To find unusual abstract collages, unique abstract paintings, pen and ink drawings, mixed media artworks, mixed media digital art and prints visit
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Arbitrary abstract acts-Tripartite


Divisions can be arbitrary. Imposed for abstract reasons. What started as a wandering pen line, soon required painting, light washes of color as forms began awaken and emerge. As in other pieces in this blog, the end result seem like an archaeological dig. Revealing. Mystifying.

It raises questions of life. And death. What will archaeologists find a hundred years from today? The ancients had their beliefs about death and the journey to the hereafter. Has modern man, armed with genetic codes, contemporary scientists unlocking the cures with new medical breakthroughs, provided a better answer? What becomes of the inner voice? Tripartite - life, death and the hereafter. Only the Father knows for sure.

Abstract thoughts for an abstract painting.

Other unusual and strange abstract paintings, drawings, collages and mixed media digital artworks are available at
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Painting in pieces


Abstract art, especially using the modern art technique of Collage, layering varying elements to produce something new.Two plus two equals five. Artists through the centuries have tried to produce something uniquely theirs. To use techniques, thoughts and compositions that make their artwork identifiable and individualistic. I've used disparate pieces of my work, abstract pieces from the past, combined with painted abstract, acrylic, animated backgrounds. To evoke ancient history without the representational elements. To use line and abstract colors and forms to evoke thoughts of times past. Though the elements are abstract, it triggers thoughts of man's early history.

This modern abstract collage painting is called "Meso". This and other contemporary abstract paintings, drawings, abstract modern collages, prints and other artworks can be viewed at
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Monday, June 22, 2009

Leaves- an abstract study in gray


No kidding! The starting point for abstract painting can be as diverse as the colors of the rainbow. Here I was, with a copy of a photo of ficus leaves. The thought occured to me that I should create an abstract structure over the print. With a brush loaded with gray paint, I began a series of rectangles, layering one over the other. A complex series of compartments. Obscuring the leaves. Obscuring the facts? Is this what some leaders were doing in a different context? Were multinationals obscuring the figures by a complex device of launching dozens of new subsidiary companies? A compartmentalized web of delusion.

But, to return to the painting "Leaves." I painted, in one of a few occasions a monochrome study. Showing the range of hues from black, to various gradations of gray to white. It's a small study in abstraction.

To view and purchase unusual abstract paintings, drawings, collages and prints visit:
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

" Abstract art is the product of a confused mind"

So said an opinionated, deeply religious aunt of mine. She heard I was painting and wanted to find out what kind of art I was producing. So when I vaguely explained that it was a semi abstract kind of art, This was her retort. Well I was shocked, she hadn't even seen any of my work, so to be described as confused was extreme. I didn't say much after that. She didn't either.

It didn't change my approach to art. Which was largely intuitive and experimental. But her words stuck in my mind decades later. Maybe she was right. It has never been easy to explain or understand. You like it or you don't. It is always useful to try and get at some of the thoughts the artist perused as he worked.

Abstract art is wide ranging in style and content. Some abstract art is totally non-representational. No object is descernible. Other types of abstract art hint at objects, visible things, landscapes.

Modern art got its driving force at the turn of the 20th century. It was a new kind of thinking, it was essentially experimental, always exploring new ways, new thinking, new solutions, defying the traditional techniques. Thus no definition is absolute, except in its diversity. This is where the heated discussions and differences begin. The controversies are exposed, outlandish remarks are made, arbiters of "good taste" reject it outright, weak artist retreat to their studios, the works can gain notoriety, sometimes the artists gain a cult following, the media loves it.

Most people, on viewing modern art will say, "I don't understand this stuff!" But understanding is not what you'll find. Instead, modern art should be regarded in the same way you appreciate instrumental music, flowers, poetry, it's an appeal to the emotions, to the senses. For modern abstract art to be fully appreciated you have to drink it in, absorb it. It's an experiment to be enjoyed, or cautiously accepted or sometimes angrily rejected, as "the product of a confused mind." Such can be the effect on the senses.

What do you think? How do you feel about abstract art?

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Intuitive abstract collage art


This abstract collage is an intuitively linked combination of ink drawings, prints, brown wrapping paper, pastel and charcoal lines, on an acrylic painted background. On a bleaky morning, I assembled a number of random samples in a folder, with the thought of creating a collage of these pieces.

Collage was developed by Picasso and his friend Georges Braque to show art in a radically new way. This was an attempt to break the tradition of the paint brush dipped in oil paint, depicting something representational. That was the practice at the turn of the century. At some point, having gained fame as an artist using the classical techniques of that era, Picasso started experimenting and collaborated with his friend Georges.

Picasso, always seeking new ways to express himself, started using bits of newspapers, wallpaper and odds and ends around the studio. The more mundane the better. It was meant to shock the traditionalists. And it worked. There was outright condemnation by the art dealers of that time. Many felt Picasso could have made a comfortable living, rehashing the accepted styles of that era. Thankfully, Picasso rejected the conventional wisdom and created a new form of art. Thus opening the door, giving confidence to many other artists who came after him.

To view more abstract paintings, collages, drawings, digital experiments, and prints visit:
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Abstract art-framed


Small abstract paintings when properly framed and matted can have an impact in your home. Here are 4 examples of framed paintings on a yellow wall, showing a variety of colored frames.

To view other abstract paintings, drawings, collages and art prints visit:
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Abstract art-Hierachy 4


This abstract drawing "Hierachy 4" is a rapid pen drawing, of compressed forms in compartments. It could be an aerial view of an archaeological dig, The abstract pen drawings appear to be lowered into another site, pasted on an umber ground. So much can be deciphered from ancient sites.

Other abstract paintings, drawings, collages and art prints can be found at:
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Friday, June 12, 2009

Abstract art group


This Abstract painting started as a loose charcoal sketch. Gradually acrylic paint was applied loosely, then the images were subdivided into segments. Figurative abstract heads made an illusionistic visit. Diffused by layers of overpaint. Subtly applied.
These and other works on this blog are small scale abstractions. Small is powerful.

To view this and other abstract contemporary paintings, drawings, mixed media artworks and high quality giclee prints visit

http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Abstract art - Global warner


This abstract painting developed from a wandering pen, drawings using colored markers, pen lines and acrylic layers.

As the artwork evolved, increasingly, I was reminded of 'seers', 'prophets' and people who suddenly seemed to get a vision of what would happen soon, in Jamaica. They would preach on the sidewalks in the busiest bus terminals, on the most jam-packed streets, anywhere the message could be heard - "Repent, the end is coming soon." This could go on for hours. Some curious onlookers would stop and stare. Other would hurriedly leave the area. Unless they got too boisterous no one would bother them. Well almost, there were always a few idlers who would mock them. Then the screaming would really begin - 'Repent! Repent or perish in eternal damnation.'

Though abstract in development, this contemporary artwork evoked nostalgic memories of times past.
Additional abstract paintings, drawings, collages and prints can be found at:
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Abstract art - Fused


This contemporary abstract collage painting "Fused" was given this title because it represented a fusion of many art forms. "Fused" combined pen and ink drawings, torn magazine pages, pastel drawings, acrylic paint used in an abstract expressionist style.

Sometimes the elements of a collage are scattered around the studio. How are they to be used to form a composition? Should they be a formal design? Or offbeat? Very often I try something off beat. To invent something new. Strong vertical and horizontal forms? To be different, I choose a diagonal angle to the central compartment. The elements too strong? I try to obscure them with paint. Too unstructured? I try borders and compartments. The surface is too flat? I layer other drawings. The surface lacks texture? Brush strokes of white dance across layers of forms and colors.

The end result of this abstract painting are not smooth and refined. But life is never really smooth. To appreciate the necessity of the rough expression helps one compare and appreciate other smooth forms of beauty. Is there ever a greater calm than after the storm?

Contemporary Abstract art incorporates many styles, forms and abstract thought. What's your definition of abstract art?
To see more of my contemporary abstract paintings, drawings, collages and prints visit:
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Monday, June 8, 2009

Art Quotes for Today

QUOTES FOR THE DAY

Painting: The art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and exposing them to the critic.
Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914),

The Devil's Dictionary
A painting in a museum hears more ridiculous opinions than anything else in the world.

Fellow artists, what do you think?

Abstract art-Enjoined


In this contemporary abstract artwork, I created a pen drawing with a series of fused abstract forms meandering across the page. Working with the larger fused forms in the middle, I created a border of related abstract forms. A print was made, then hand colored with pastel and colored pencils. Though the work is small - 8.5x11 inches the intricate details were quite involved and took a long time to complete. Small works keep the eyes focused, the intensity and concentration, like a laser beam, on a small area at a time. Someone once said "to do a large painting, use a large brush." This has never been easy in the style and build-up method that I use.

Line drawing, for me, lays the foundation for most of my abstract paintings. It represents a skeleton on which to create more three dimensional forms, creating a balanced though informal composition, where color can be used to enhance and highlight certain areas. Colors can be bright and explosive or subdued and introspective. I try to be as original as possible in the start and completion of each work. That's what keeps the interest going. The thought of a new day, a new creative way, to express the thoughts and vision that stimulate the imagination.

Additional contemporary abstract paintings, drawings, mixed media artworks, digital artworks, and abstract collages can be found at http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Abstract art/collage-Emerald


This abstract painting combines pen line drawings, collage elements pasted on surface, wax drippings, acrylic paint in foreground and background. It was an attempt to create and use recycled art and build compartments of color in the foreground elements while using more subdued color and wax drippings in a more abstract manner in the background. This is an example of a contemporary mixed media collage painting.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Watching Damian Hirst

Today I'm watching a few videos on the controversial Damian Hirst. Considered the most popular living artist. Commanding prices in the millions. His diamond-encrusted skull is being sold for $100,000,000.

Quote for the Day:

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973)
There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Figurative abstract art



Abstracting the abstract. In the line art abstract drawing "Daunting" I tried to abstract the concept further in "Daunting 3". Here I reworked the drawing using digital means. Using a variety of filters to draw, scratch, diffuse, color, and dissolve the image to create something radically new. A dissolving abstract form. Lines and forms still visible but substantially different. Both drawings are shown for comparison. More paintings, drawings, giclee prints are available at
http://www.yessy.com/emooyoung/gallery.html