POSITIVE / NEGATIVE

This painting is from the quiet time of Covid.  I was in no rush to finish it so it took a long time.  The idea is this:  I wanted to make an abstract that had large shapes that went from the top to the bottom of the canvas, and were located close to each other.  The large shapes were also very similar in structure but none copied another.  The spaces between the shapes were made by the positive shape next to it on either side.  This becomes the whole point of the painting - the inter play of the foreground and the background,  The play of positive shape with negative space, resulting in 2 different paintings (LIGHT COLORED SHAPES WITH DARKER BACKGROUND OR DARKER SHAPES WITH A LIGHTER BACKGROUND).  I used 2 colors for either the shape or the space.  It is left up to the viewer to decide which is positive and which is the negative.  Because only two be too boring I made each shape/area outlines with a thick line (another shape, in fact) that snakes from the top to the bottom, some of which changes color on the way down.  Now I have to say that since most of my paintings are exact and hard edged, I tried to be a little lax with the execution of these smaller lines.  They change thickness and wander and fade lighter and darker in an attempt to make it look more relaxed. Another thing I noticed during its creation was the number of changes that had to be made.  With that desire to make it more precise I made those changes to reshape the composition, while maintaining the looseness of the edges, in keeping with the others.  All the while I was setting this up on the canvas I had to fight the urge to get out the tee- square and straight edge.  
I admit that I was not too successful in trying to make the leap to a more relaxed, casual painting.  I’m sure that my need for order and precision will never die but I can keep trying, can’t I?


​Medium: Acrylic Paint on Canvas
Not framed presently
Size: 30" x 30"

Price: $900.00 (Price does not include applicable sales tax or shipping)