Curious About Abstraction?

Explore the attraction of Abstract painting in this one day workshop for all levels of artists. There will be discussion of what is different about Abstraction than Representation. I’ll show you examples of abstract work to illustrate what I am talking about. Both use the same artistic elements of line, shape, form, space, color, value, texture but with different emphasis. If you are an experienced abstract artist, or strictly representational in your approach, this is about playing with the materials, and getting ideas. We will do a number of exercises to explore mark making, composition, style, and color choices, introducing you to ideas to use your artistic skills in a different way. Acrylic paint, brushes, painting surfaces will be provided. Come and experiment with me!

Materials List:

Paint, palette and brushes provided. Students.must bring a drop cloth, paper towels, disposable gloves. Lunch if you prefer to eat in.

About Martha

I live surrounded by art. A passionate gardener, I find endless sources for abstract designs while out in the natural world, which become the basis for my large botanical paintings, and my abstract landscapes.

I like to follow an initial idea over many paintings, and over the past several years I have worked on these series:

Connections (abstract figurative work, with emotion)

Tropical Dreams (universal movement in ancient human dance)

Botanicals (take a plant element and explode it on a large canvas, in rich color)

Color Field Abstracts (emotion conveyed by pure color)

Many Faceted Lands (universal experiences of place, using prismatic flourishes to convey passage of time)

I studied oil painting with Chuck Marshall for several years. Continuing studies have been with Larry Moore, Bill Fletcher, Greg Storer, Bill Farnsworth, Kenn Bacchus, Larry Rudolech, and others. I greatly admire the art of Joan Mitchell, Georgia O’Keefe, Clyfford Still, Andrew Wyeth, Henri Matisse, and Juan Gris, who have influenced my work.

I am a Signature Member of the Cincinnati Art Club, and an Associate Member of the Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati. I am in The Abstractionists. I paint Plein Air with The Brush and Palette Painters.