After visiting the KMA exhibit of the Knoxville Seven in January of 2016 I found myself asking some serious questions. The works of art I had just seen were produced by those who had been my teachers. I went through the University of Tennessee art program in a golden age when those who were teaching were also capable of making amazing images. The problem for me was that they were all the living proponents of Abstract Expressionism and I was in love with realism. The defining question I was forced to address was, how had I come to be the realist I am as an artist in spite of my training by such magnificently abstract artists?
In my heart I had rejected every attempt they made to ask me to embrace abstraction. I understood all of the precepts of abstract conceptualization and I could more than satisfy the requirements of their assignments. None of them ever knew how in my arrogance I hated being praised for doing what came far too easily for me. Realism was my only real challenge. I love a good skirmish with what I think I know to be true.
I came home that night having decided that forty years ago I had been shortsighted in having tried to dismiss the genius of abstract thought. I examined my own set of artistic sensibilities and was confounded by what I discovered. In spite of all my railing against non-objective imagery I was guilty of using the push pull of surfaces and edges that deny form and space. I allowed myself to apply non-realistic, abstract use of color that is so evident in the images of my 1970’s forerunners. I am glad today that I had been influenced by them.
Carl Sublett was at the core of this influence. What a giant among Cretins. His kindness, intellect and encouraging candor never fell short of meeting the personal and artistic needs of his students. I am grateful to have been one of them. When I became an art educator, I attempted to model my classroom behavior after his.
So, as you can see, I had to revisit, rethink, rework what I would allow myself to admit about the whole abstraction thing. After careful scrutiny with a refreshed eye, I found that my own work was not as realistic as I had touted. Total abstraction is still not native to me. However, when whatever I am working on needs that special tweet, I am going to allow myself abstract liberties. It can’t hurt. Right?
God has been very good to me. He has allowed me to live long enough to start to see the truth in my life and in my artwork. Here are a few steps I have taken toward abstraction. I think I like it.
I looked at one of my rock photographs and asked myself to care a little less about reality. This is what happened.
As the piece developed I fell more in love with surface and less with subject matter. Texture and mark making became fun again.
This is the finished product and it is obvious that these are intended to be rocks and water. They are, however, a bit less realistically represented. I enjoyed the process and the product turned out okay too.
Art and Thoughts On It 