And You See What?

This week I posted a photo of an untitled diptych. And there were a number of comments of the interpretation of the images. Of course, I did not paint any image which was perceptible. Actually, the difficulty in being an abstract painting is to ensure that no representational form sneaks into the work. I cannot fathom how or where some of these "seen" objects come from. Yesterday evening I watched a documentary on Schizophrenia; one of the most common symptoms is seeing imaginary things which are clearly not present in reality. You laugh. I am certainly not accusing my viewers of any mental disorder; on the contrary. Imagination is the trigger for association with an image. But it did make me wary. How to engage a viewer without attaching reality to my paintings. If you like what you think you are seeing, well, that's a good reason to hang the piece in your home. But if the image you have conjured isn't pleasant to your psyche, the painting is rejected. What a fine line I walk when I choose to lay down colour, form, composition, etc. So when people claim that they can easily replicate abstract work, I challenge them. Go ahead. You will appreciate my work so much more.

 

Observations from a Participant

OBSERVATIONS

I have always thought of myself as a participant in life. Never one to take to the sidelines, I declared myself to be in the midst of the huddle. Not really a quarterback but not sitting in the stands. My inspiration for this piece was the construct of relevance, of activity, of movement. But after decades of placing myself in the vortex of day to day business, I have come to appreciate the quiet observer. In the corner. Looking outward and inward simultaneously.The joy of others "doing" has meaning in my life now. Never a spectator until now; I am slow to appreciate the ability to "follow". Yes, being the centre of your own world is important to self recognition and growth, but at what point does that change?

The time for me to sit idly by and observe will come some day. Not today, but some day. In the interim, life offers the opportunity to participate and to watch, Both are integral to my happiness and fulfillment.I am mindful of the time passing quickly. It provides me the immense pleasure of  creating and viewing. Equally happy to paint  and to walk through the Tate Modern and view.

This painting is a good reminder of how wonderful it is to "see" and "be seen".