I done this piece last July, 2020, when I was first starting with oils. I didn't plan on it being such an abstract painting that's just how it ended up. I done this entirely with a pallet knife as an experiment to see what I could do. It was an enjoyable learning experience. I would like to try this again in the future but with an emphasis on realism. The subject matter is based on a Steve Schmollinger photo of Cincinnati Union Terminal that is uploaded on railpictures.net -- photo link railpictures.net/photo/594666/
Painted on a 16 x 20 inch, 1/2" profile, stretched canvas pre-primed with acid-free gesso.
tel, it sounds like we have a very similar viewpoint on the subject of abstract art. First off, I'll address the idea of abstract as far as it pertains to my painting and then I'll further discuss the idea of abstract art in general. If you go to -- https://www.railpictures.net/photo/594666/ -- the photo I used as reference for this painting you'll see the likeness. Why did I do it this way and not in a realistic tone? Well, that boils down to me being a novice painter and totally brand new to oil paints. I was attempting to do something that was far beyond my skillset and as a result I could tell reasonably early on doing this piece that I wasn't going to be able to paint a realistic version of the photograph I was referencing so I just ended up going for something that would at least contain the basic shapes and colors of the image. I've always loved C.U.T. and the city of Cincinnati for it's eye appeal which is why I was drawn to this picture. And, as I said in the description I do want to attempt this again. Now, my thoughts on abstract art. I appreciate anyone taking their time and effort to express themselves artistically in what ever medium they prefer but I cannot always say that I understand said artistic expression. My wife does nothing but abstract art (drawing, painting) and I rarely understand her pieces but I do appreciate the effort and self expression she puts into her work. I wish I could enlighten you to something deeper than that but as an individual with no formal education on art history and/or theory all I'm doing is giving my personal thoughts and opinions. Thank you for your question and the interest in my painting. I looked through your work and I must say you have an impressive collection of artwork.
Ah, thanks for the explanation and thanks for your kind closing comment....Welcome to TIB !
I quite enjoy this piece.
@TheGeneral, thank you!
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Abstract art really divides people and i have to confess to not understanding it, when i hear comments like "look deep into the subject and see what your mind conjures up" i am often left scratching my head ,and that may well say more about me than the artist. Perhaps you could enlighten me in order that i might better understand what you were going for?