Abstraction in Art – Art and Thoughts On It

Hiding In The Cleft Of The Rock

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Stan Hillard

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

This oil painting is 10” x 20” and symbolically represents my relationship with those I love and those who love me. God the father (The large rock at the top) shelters, protects me, hides me from harm because of His love for me. Jesus (The second largest rock, entering the picture plane from the lower left) is my constant support and a perfect example of how life should be lived. The next two largest stones are similar but slightly different. The less perfect one (on the right) represents me. The more perfect one that touches both of the larger rocks, well, it represents the Holy Spirit, my comforter who is always with me. The smaller stones behind are my family and friends (always supportive and patient with me as I attempt to get “it” right). In the darkest part of the painting there are rocks that represent my sins (They are many and always there to remind me of my failings). Please note that the Holy Spirit is firmly positioned between me and my mistakes. Entering the picture plane from the upper left side, there is a plain, nondescript stone (It looks deceptively normal dosen’t It?) that represents both my past and the deceiver (Satan himself). Please notice that it (He) is completely blocked by the rocks that represent all three branches of the Holy Trinity. I am hidden, protected by them. When I rely on them I am free from the control evil used to have over me.

There is a safe place from all the craziness that keeps attacking my spirit. It has been freely provided and the peace I find there is immeasurable. I find comfort by hiding in the shadow of the love my Savior has cast on me. He has never failed to intercede and ask God to remember me. All I have to do is spend prayer time talking to Him about my sin, my pain, my temptations. He always provides better alternatives than the ones I could have produced for myself. The comfort that come from living in a spiritual safe place gives me courage to try to tell the world what has been done for me.

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Songwriters: Charles Crozat Converse / Joseph Scriven

I spent much of my life disappointed in unfulfilling relationships but when I finally surrendered, gave up my will and in its place allowed exceptance of whatever God has planned for me, I found peace. I am a sinful wretch forgiven by God and he hides, shelters and protects me from the world and from myself. Now all of my relationships are measured by the one I have with Christ. I am loved, forgiven and cared for. Therefore, I now have the privilege to love, forgive and care for others. It is all much easier now that I have Christ as a perfect model to follow. Don’t get me wrong. I still struggle. I am human not divine as He was. When I get “it” wrong (It happens all the time) I no longer have to waste time beating myself up. If God can forgive me, I can forgive myself and move on to the next challenge. That’s a much better real-life model than wallowing in self-recriminations and despair the way I used to.

I have learned that joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness, a temporary state, is easily ruined by the constant onslaught of the evil that we face each day. However, the joy that comes from knowing God through a relationship with his Son, Jesus, is permanent and boundless. Things may not always turn out the way I would prefer, but my God is bigger than my disappointments and my failings. He protects me from my own inadequacies. He is enough for me.

There are four more paintings in this series. I hope to have them finished soon. I will share them when they are. Until then, rock on!

Color Too Far

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Stan Hillard

365296E0-EC89-4069-9CBB-5DBCD6C4EFDF When I think of the importance of color I am overcome. There is no visual element that means more to me. When I get to heaven I hope that I will be allowed to assist the Creator in the mixing of the colors He uses. I would never presume that I could do a better job of making color choices than He does. However, I believe that the gifts and abilities He has given me are part of His eternal plan. I pray he will use me there as He has here. He has given me an understanding of the intresic value of specific color relationships. Knowing that color is never random or arbitrary but intently specific validates for me that there is order and He is in charge of it. I am blessed.

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When I play with color I often allow myself to go too far. It is my hope that the use of extreme color will force the viewer to abandon expectations of the natural world as it is and enter the realm of the unexpected. My aim is to alter reality to the point of abstracting it and in turn giving an enhanced view of creation. I am not questioning God’s perfection. Instead, I am hoping to help others look more carefully at it, to see it anew.

My love affair with God’s creation continues. I can’t give it up. No I won’t do it. It inspires me to search for new ways to give evidence that I have Him to thank for all I have and all I can do. Praise be to Him!

For the beauty of the earth
For the beauty of the skies
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies
Over and around us lies

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise

For the beauty of the hour
Of the day and of the night
Hill and vale and tree and flower
Sun and moon and stars of light
Sun and moon and stars of light

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise

For the joy of human love
Brother, sister, parent, child
Friends on earth and friends above
For all gentle thoughts and mild
For all gentle thoughts and mild

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise

For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given
Graces human and divine
Flow’rs of earth and buds of heav’n
Flow’rs of earth and buds of heav’n

Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn, our joyful hymn of praise
This our joyful hymn of praise

John Rutter

AN ATTEMPT AT ABSTRACTION

Posted on August 10, 2017August 10, 2017 by Stan Hillard

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.