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Tuesday 7 March 2017

Abstract Art

I have been busy working through an online course on Abstract Art with Lisa Call. I first met Lisa last year at the Fibre Forum in Ballarat where I did a 5 day Working in a Series class with her. You can read about that here. I caught up with her again at the Nancy Crow classes in New Zealand earlier this year.

This is a year of trying out new things and so I thought her Abstraction class would be ideal for me. I have learnt so much about the abstract artists of the 20th century; it has been a very time consuming but wonderful learning experience.

Every week we learn about a different style of art and then she gives us a challenge to complete and at the end of the week she critiques our work. There are only two weeks left of the class now.

I thought I'd show some of the work I have done.

In the second week we had to find a landscape photo and use it as inspiration. I picked a photo of trees.


Here is my abstract composition based on the photo.


Another week we had to work on non-objective art and think about variety, balance and repetition.

This is what I came up with.


A couple of weeks ago we had to copy an abstract expressionist artist to try and understand what they were doing. I have spent the entire course also trying to piece everything so I had to modify the design so it could be pieced in the allotted time I had.

I chose Gravitation by Kandinsky.


I thought it looked fairly simple until I started to try and piece it. I didn't like the brown background so I changed that as well.


I have really enjoyed the class and it's a shame that there are only two weeks to go. The work by the other participants has been fantastic, some are quilters and some are painters. I have learnt so much from Lisa's critiques of their work as well.

As you can see I haven't quilted anything and as they are only exercises I probably won't but I will never look at abstract art the same way again.

Bye for now,
Linda

6 comments:

Ruth said...

Hi Linda, I have been doing Lisa's Design Elements class and will do Design Principles next, I can understand how Time consuming the Abstractions class could be. I haven't sewn any of my assignments as I just would not complete it each week, so was amazed at your pieces. She is such a good art quilt tutor. I am still pleased I did her working in a series at Ballarat last year.

Linda Steele said...

Hi Ruth,
How lovely to hear from you. I think of you often and the wonderful work that you did in Ballarat. Lisa is a wonderful teacher.

Michele Hill said...

Wow Linda........I admire your "expansion" of techniques and ideas in quilting - it is so far from your usual work and I take my hat off to you....and I love it all! I've been told for years to get out of my comfort zone and do something different but I don't have the emotional energy! I think making small things by hand is where I am going!! Biggest hugs and admiration to you xx

Linda Steele said...

Hi Michele,
That is the difference I suppose, I was looking for something new. I had got a bit restless with my usual work.

Robbie said...

so good to stretch our 'art life' isn't it. Love the Kandinsky piece you did! My favorite!

Linda Steele said...

Thanks Robbie, I really enjoyed doing it.