October 12, 2026

True abstract art does not come easily to me. Often I will take a real subject and abstract it in my own way to create something evocative but not truly representative. But fully abstract art, devoid of any recognizable subject, can be more of a struggle than anything else I try in the studio.

But I love abstract art. I love the way that color and empty space and shapes and textures can draw me in and force me to figure out why…or simply just enjoy that it does. So I’m trying something new.

Here are two pieces, mostly finished I think, inspired by West Coast colors and landscape, but without really trying to be anything. I’m creating an abstract language across these pieces (and into a few more), that’s cohesive but not quite repetitive. It takes longer than you might think! It takes bravery (how do you “mess up” abstract art, really? But each bold mark risks ruining all the layers I build up to a place I like, and yet without them, the piece can’t move forward), experimentation, patience, and listening. What I think is the orientation may turn out not to be. Surprises can be pleasing or unpleasing. Changes can work nicely or leave me regretfully scraping back the paint.

It’s a process! But I’m enjoying where it takes me.