EXPERIMENT IN ABSTRACTION - How Much Can Be Taken Out?

Laundry Day (Image 12x17" Approximately)                   © by Ruth Zachary

It seemed that when artists abstract a subject, they take out areas of a scene that gives it a new character - that of brush strokes, droplets, change of character, etc. As an experiment, I set out to see how much information could be removed before you could no longer "read" or recognize the realistic objects in the scene. I took out a lot of backyard junk, but left the clothing, which seemed bright and playful on this barely leafed-out spring day. 

The mood was retained, with bright colors, but the means of painting little squares over the landscape, did not produce the active brushstrokes and freedom of expression that I looked for. I did, however, learn a lot about how much can be taken out and still see the subject. Also notice how the rectangular emphasis removes the illusion of depth.

In many of these small pictures, I painted the rectangular motif with metallic paint, using a very small brush. No collage. No stamp printing. A stencil would not work, as the metallic paints were in similar colors to the background, and have to be placed precisely, so that when the viewer moves, the details and the light seems to change. After I had created a dozen or so of these (mostly landscapes) I was eager to move on to something else. 

Sometimes I revisit a theme or series. People seemed to like them, and many of them have been sold.

If I ever do more, I may try collage papers.

by Ruth Zachary.