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Friday, September 18, 2015

Gloria J Zucaro's "Experimenting with Abstract"

Last weekend I had fun at Mainstreet Art Centre in a workshop with artist Debora Stewart.  Debora was originally a representational aristt but decided about 10 years ago that she loved abstract.  She has been experimenting and learning and achieving wonderful paintings in abstract form since then.  Her workshop was learning about under painting with compressed charcoal, acrylic or watercolor and smearing the charcoal with alcohol before applying more pastel or acrylic for your painting.  I was working with pastel.
In our first exercise we were to use photos of different subjects and a viewfinder to find an abstract area in the photo to paint.  I picked a cityscape. My first two paintings were very tight and not really very much fun.  See below-  Also they curled after I untaped them, hence the curved looking lines! They were done on UArt pastel paper that had a sanded surface for pastels.  I drew the design in charcoal and then added a light , medium and dark value of soft pastel.


Then I began to loosen up.
Below is one of my abstracts that "passed muster" with Debora.  It has a really good dark value to anchor it.


I did about 10 paintings in the three days, and about two were considered successful.  As a representational artist, I will be able to have an abstract background and then put my representational painting over it in a more relaxed version.  So for me a really great experience to learn about shapes and colors in their own right.

I am posting this to Paint Party Friday.

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41 comments:

  1. Valerie-JaelSeptember 18, 2015 at 8:12 AM

    Love what you have made, your workshop sounds great. Have a lovely weekend, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 18, 2015 at 9:22 AM

      Thanks, Valerie. It was a great learning experience and lots of fun.

      Delete
  2. carol l mckennaSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:11 AM

    Admiring your explorative art and the background for another lovely painting I am sure ~ ^_^

    Happy Weekend to you,
    artmusedog and carol

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  3. froebelsternchenSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:31 AM

    This workshop sounds great - I love what you have made !
    oxo
    Susi

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 20, 2015 at 9:22 AM

      Thank you, Susi, it is always nice to expand horizons.

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  4. NadyaSeptember 18, 2015 at 12:01 PM

    It's always so much fun to try something different, & sounds like this was a great workshop, Gloria. It sounds like a lovely way for you to approach the background at times! Happy PPF
    Nadya

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  5. ChristineSeptember 18, 2015 at 1:15 PM

    Wonderful work on the abstract!

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  6. Linda KunsmanSeptember 18, 2015 at 2:09 PM

    I love playing with abstract art and your projects are really good-especially that last one! Always fun to learn about new techniques and products.

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 20, 2015 at 9:23 AM

      Thank you, Linda. You are always so supportive! :>)

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  7. MarjiSeptember 18, 2015 at 2:51 PM

    I find abstract very difficult. You make it look easy. They do make good backgrounds for us representational folk :) And, they are very good as warm ups to get things loosened up a bit before you do your usual thing. Great work.

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 20, 2015 at 9:24 AM

      Yes, great warm-up and sometimes inspiration when we don't know what direction to take.

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  8. dentheSeptember 18, 2015 at 4:01 PM

    Interesting workshop! That last painting is beautiful.

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 20, 2015 at 9:25 AM

      Thanks, Denise. I know you would put a beautiful woman or bird in front of it!

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  9. Kate RobertsonSeptember 18, 2015 at 6:40 PM

    Love the last one, it had lots of energy to it.

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  10. My name is Erika.September 18, 2015 at 7:32 PM

    What an exciting sounding class. I am like you, and could stand to learn to be a bit more abstract. I love your pieces, and now when you paint you will have a new little voice in your head saying to get a little more astract and that will help you grow!

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  11. GigglesSeptember 18, 2015 at 9:48 PM

    I love your first two...still your style and gorgeous too!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  12. CarolSeptember 18, 2015 at 9:53 PM

    Great art!!! Live classes are always so fun... it's been forever since I've been able to do one. So glad you had a good time and that you shared your work.

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  13. SusuPetalSeptember 19, 2015 at 2:36 AM

    I love to do abstracts, and I truly enjoyed looking what you've created. I especially like those strong, bold colors of the painting below.

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  14. DVArtistSeptember 19, 2015 at 4:55 PM

    aaahhh I am sure more than two were successful. When I started painting again I took a year to study abstract. I fell in love with it. It is not easy to let go and allow the paint to travel. I think you have done an excellent job.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 20, 2015 at 9:28 AM

      Thanks, Nicole. I would like to try some pouring, too. of acrylic, not pastel! I guess I could do that in oil, too!

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  15. Tracey FKSeptember 20, 2015 at 4:27 AM

    Abstract is early hard isn't it... The one with the darks is stunning though so you nailed it in the end..l I will be interested to see how it influences your work... Will be fun to watch

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 20, 2015 at 9:29 AM

      Thanks Tracey, I am enjoying your journal for a day or week paintings.

      Delete
  16. Beverley BairdSeptember 20, 2015 at 12:55 PM

    Sounds like a wonderful worksp]hop. Love your pieces - even the cityscapes. Will watch for more abstracts. Thanks for stopping by.

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 22, 2015 at 12:39 PM

      Well then, I guess I had better keep up the practice of them! :>)

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  17. katSeptember 20, 2015 at 1:26 PM

    These are great abstracts, they certainly attract and hold the eye!

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  18. sheila 77September 21, 2015 at 8:24 AM

    Yes, abstracts are a lot harder than they look.
    I like the first too, especially with the unintentional curve.
    The last one is really good with the lights and darks and looks different when you turn it (or turn your head as I did).

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 22, 2015 at 12:38 PM

      Yes, Sheila, It is amazing with abstracts how you can turn them any way that looks best to you!

      Delete
  19. NordljusSeptember 22, 2015 at 6:19 AM

    That sounds like an awesome workshop and techniques. That third one looks really great, and I like your idea of using the abstract as a background.

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    1. Gloria j ZucaroSeptember 22, 2015 at 12:36 PM

      Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Have a great week.

      Delete
  20. IndiraSeptember 22, 2015 at 9:26 PM

    Looking at the two, which are great, I suspect more than two were successful. Hope you will show them to us.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  21. Lisabella RussoSeptember 24, 2015 at 4:17 PM

    I think they're all wonderful, but I especially like the third one. Abstraction can be so much fun!

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  22. Beth NiquetteSeptember 24, 2015 at 4:31 PM

    What wonderful colors--especially the second one. And so filled with interesting shapes and movement.

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Thanks for leaving me a message. I so appreciate hearing from you.

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