{Echo} Week 13- Abstract

“Abstract  painting is abstract. It confronts you. There was a reviewer a while back who wrote that my pictures didn’t have any beginning or any end. He didn’t mean it as a compliment, but it was.” – Jackson Pollock

The wonderful thing about abstractions is that they force us to think outside of the box in addition to encouraging us to look at the world differently. The challenge of creating a compelling image … without any clear understanding of what it’s origin is …. requires the ability to appreciate the simplest of patterns, color and light. The results are often both stunning and thought provoking.. and I hope you’ll join me this week in discovering it’s allure.

“On the whole, age comes more gently to those who have some doorway into an abstract world-art, or philosophy, or learning-regions where the years are scarcely noticed and the young and old can meet in a pale truthful light” -Freya Stark

With no rules and only imagination … you are bound to enjoy the process. More so, I hope you can find that ‘something’ extraordinary in something you usually deem as ordinary.

“It [abstract art] should be enjoyed just as music is enjoyed – after a while you may like it or you may not.” -Jackson Pollock

Here’s a few ideas to jump-start the Abstract prompt:

• Look for patterns and/or color on concrete, wood or in nature
• Create a digital montage
• Work with light, motion and blur
• Capture the waves and colors of a sunset
• Do a study of color, as suggested here.
• Pull out the old film camera and play with double exposure
• Play with shadows
• Your idea here :)

Photo Credits: © Christy Hydeck (left), © Susan Tuttle (right)
(click image to view it  larger)

One of the absolute best things my new blog/website will offer is larger photos. You know the kind… things so lovely and detailed that you can’t help but to be enveloped by them. ‘Cause lord knows, these smaller images? .. Just don’t do justice to the images.

Hoping to have the site completed within the next 3 weeks! Wish me luck! I truly miss posting regularly, and have so much to share – I feel as if I am b u r s t i n g at the seams!

In the meantime, Susan & I invite each of you to participate in the project and show us your unique vision, your voice, your echo. Remember, to share your link in the comments here so if I get a chance to do a round-up I can add your site to the post, besides I don’t want to miss any of your stories.

• Go visit Susan’s Week 13 post for our other diptych.
• Our Flickr Group for the collab. ~ Join Us! Find a partner there, read the guidelines and more!
• Add the Echo button to your blog if you’d like! Get the code here

Want to collaborate with me?

I am about to embark on 2 collaborative projects and would love it if you were keen to participate! Both will begin with the launch of my new site, but I am hoping to get some of the legwork done ahead of time, so leave a comment for me if you’d like to play! Just be sure you inlcude your email (though it isn’t seen on the site) so I can respond.

Project 1: The Daily Diptych

Every day, for at least one year.. I will be sharing a diptych made up of my photo, and someone else’s. I hope to spotlight a wide array of photogs and artists through this project. You would need to submit to me an image you have never shown publicly before, and I’d pair one of my own with yours! Full details sent to those who are interested.

Project 2: Digital Melange ( working title)

This will works in groups of 20. Essentially a digital round robin – I will email an image to person 1 … they will add to it… and send it to person 2… and so forth… much like the childhood game of ‘telephone’ … the end results should be quite different from where it started. Full details will be sent to those who are interested in June.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Chrysti