My 4x4 Abstract Project

I'm always trying to improve.  Always. 

Towards that end, I've come up with a little art challenge for myself.  I'm calling it "4x4 Abstracts" and I'm pretty sure the name gives you a clear idea on what the project is about: creating 4x4 abstract art pieces.  

My goals:

• Explore abstract art.
• Explore different styles.
• Take risks.
• Work quickly.
• Don't overthink it.
• Develop my abstract eye.
• Focus on composition.
• Make new art.

So far I've created five pieces.  They're all interesting to me for different reasons.  I wonder if they'll be interesting to you?

This is about as monochromatic as I get.  It was tough for me not to rely on color to spark up the composition.  A good exercise and one I will probably repeat again and again.

I feel like I'm beginning to understand what Ellsworth Kelly and Barnett Newman were chasing with all those stripes....  It's a fascinating puzzle to figure out how much you can say with the simplest of shapes.

I was trying really hard not to work with any recognizable shapes and yet this piece seems to have a submarine running through the middle of it...or maybe an airplane?

Wild style change, right?  I have a lot of trouble leaving white space and so I challenged myself to create a composition that allowed for empty space to exist.

Still exploring white space, but in a slightly more textured style.  This piece features stamping -- the red targets are Art Foamies and the black stamps along the edge are hand carved stamps.  It's a primary palette (red, yellow, blue) and yet slightly off because of the greyed tones of the colors.

I plan to continue with this project for the rest of 2018.  I'm excited to see where I'll be at the end of the year!

Thanks for stopping by!