Tie #11. New abstract creation by Antonio Basso
This post is about a new abstract painting I´ve been working on for the last two and a half weeks. Yes, sometimes it takes time to finish a good abstract art work!
Each abstract painting I make is not finished until it is. What does this mean? My experience tells me that the decision is mainly unconscious (at least apparently). When a modern and commited painting is finished you simply know it.
Each abstract art composition I make when working in my abstract series Ties, starts this way:
I get the canvas. In this case it´s a fantastic 73 x 100 cms with burlap. I get the hemp strings whose length and diameter I adapt to each canvas surface. I get the slim wire and the small organic cords. Then I start tiying.
My abstract creation process takes time. I tie and untie until I get a composition I like. It has to be one that does not remind me to anything at all, and it must transmit tension. Before deciding it´s ok, I leave it in the studio for some days…
I look at it from different angles, with different lights and different muds. I take detailed pictures that I carefully watch. I turn it upsidedown, put it vertical, then horizontal. I tie additional strings, I start ripping the burlap using a cutter. I keep doing this until I decide that the composition works.
Then…
I start adding color to the abstract painting. For this Tie #11 I used gesso that I mixed with white and black acrylic until I got an interesting mix and surface. This moment is impressive. It´s magical when the strings start having color. Just amazing!!!.
I keep adding free brushes and drippings (both vertically and horizontally). I love when the paint slowly flows around the unfinsihed burlap surface covering either unpainted or already painted spaces.
I always try to work completly inside the abstract painting. My mind has to be 100% concentrated on the action. The process has to be as unconscious as possible in order to work. I know my mind knows what to do and what my focus is. If I trust it and let it go it makes me do what I have to do. This is part of my artist commitment.
At this point, I stoped. I made some new pictures where I tried to capture each detail of this abstract painting. Again, I watched them carefully.
If I like small parts better than the complete painting, it means I have to continue working on it. In Tie #11 there was something missing. I discovered it was additional color. It had to be one that help me enhance “tension”. I decided to add a fabulous orange, and I did it directly from the tube.
And yes, It worked pretty well. Don´t you agree?
Once finished I leave the new modern abstract painting in the studio and watch it for several days before starting a new one. Doing this, I get to understand it better. Barnett Newman (one of the greatest abstract expressionists), said in this interview that the first time he added one of his famous zips to a painting, he left it there for 8 months before understanding what and why he had done.
To finish this post, I want to add some definitions of the word tie: action of tying / thing that is used for tying / union or strong relationship between two people or things / something that prevents or delays the development of an action / lock.
Have you gotten any personal tie?. Is there something or someone that is delaying your personal developement? Please comment.
ps: this blog is dedicated to the ones that aling their habilities with their passions.
Should you be interested in adquiring or exhibiting any of my abstract art painting series, take a look at them here and contact me using the comment below.
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