Ventures into Abstraction

Wendie Donabie ♦ April 26, 2017 ♦ Leave a comment

I’ve recently discovered the mystery and challenge of abstraction in my painting. This new evolution in my creative journey has come unexpectedly. Up to now, most of my work I would classify as realistic. And I’ve repeated on more than one occasion that I don’t understand abstract painting and thus would never do it. As they say, Never say never.

Along with three other artists, I’m preparing for a 4-woman show this coming fall. We’ll have individual  as well as collaborative pieces exhibiting work using dried acrylic paint skins. I’ll share more the process we’ve gone through closer to the show but in the meantime back to the new path for my work.

Using the skins has pushed me to think in different ways about how to produce a satisfying art piece that reflects who I am.  The first seemed to happen magically like a first born child. They say a good first birth is God’s way of convincing you to have a second. Thus I took on my next piece which has been more daunting.

Here are the two aforementioned paintings. Creation Dancer sold at a recent art show. Weaver of the Universe will soon move from my studio to be sold in a gallery or coffee shop.

I imagine the colours and movement in Creation Dancer reflect the spirit of creation, both joyful and rhythmic in nature.

Creation Dancer, Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas, 14 x 11 inches, Copyright Wendie Donabie

With Weaver of the Universe, I wanted to convey the creation of the universe and in particular our planet, Earth, using the colours of water and earth as the primary hues. The process of weaving is complex with many elements (threads or fibres) arranged in a multitude of patterns and designs, just like our planet and by extension, the universe.

Weaver of the Universe, Acrylic and Mixed Media, 16 x 16 inches, Copyright Wendie Donabie

I’d love your feedback on these pieces!

For more about my artwork, please visit my website at www.WendieDonabie.com or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WendieDonabieArtistWriter/