April 11th, 2023

 

Michael Kessler‘s “Backwater (1)” brings a grove of aspens in winter into your home.

Abstract art has a bad rap. If you don’t see the subject at first glance, it’s confusing, right? If this sounds like your impression of abstract art, pause and take another look.  Feel the colors, shapes, and lines and allow yourself to be drawn into the painting.

Every successful work of art follows basic elements and principles of design.  Good abstract art has all that too — minus an obvious subject.  The idea is that you bring your own interpretation or story to the artwork. Another way of thinking of abstraction is like zooming in on any subject until you are left with color, shape, light, texture and line.

Sometimes, abstract art is simple art; other times, it is the most complicated and involved to view. Here are seven Gallery MAR artists who exemplify abstraction and my own (easy-to-understand!) interpretation of their work. What do you see?

Stefan Heyer’s “World of Echo” draws the viewer into a colorful meadow full of wildflowers, wildlife, breezes and earthy scents.

 

Nina Tichava’s “She Spoke Her Truth to the Flowers” evokes fountains falling into pools of water with floating orchid petals.

 

Jylian Gustlin’s “Fibonacci 487” reflects a symphony of harmonious colors and patterns. You can almost hear the music.

 

Shawna Moore’s encaustic work here, “Spectra,” takes us to the end of the dock as raindrops make patterns on the surface of a lake.

 

Alison Rash’s “Flies in the Bottom Drawer” is a favorite and hanging in my home. From the moment it arrived in the gallery, I felt uplifted every time I looked at it. I see peonies in early summer and a picnic blanket tossed on the grass.

 

Laura Wait’s “On the Blue Horizon” brings both sophistication and childhood doodles to mind. Relax with the colors and elegant lines or study the many layers for deeper meaning.

 

Gallery MAR is fresh art and bold vision. We would love to hear your interpretations of our collection in the gallery. We’re open every day.

by Eileen Treasure, Manager

Tags: Abstract Art, abstraction, Alison Rash, Elements of Design, Jylian Gustlin, Laura Wait, Michael Kessler, Nina Tichava, Shawna Moore, Stefan Heyer
Posted in Gallery News