Why I Love Abstract Acrylic Painting

Over the last decade I’ve experimented with many different art modalities including watercolor, photography, pastels, sewing, oil painting, figure drawing, yes, even adult hip hop dance. I’ve more recently started creating digital art collages, which is a whole other fun world I’m loving exploring. However, throughout all the years, I’ve kept coming back to and deepening my practice of abstract acrylic painting. (This particular practice I’m referring to involves not planning out how it will look ahead of time, but letting it unfold naturally as I paint.) There are a few reasons why this has been my top method of choice.

1. The artwork is beautiful and often carries a raw energy. I was first drawn to abstract “intuitive” paintings created by artist Flora Bowley. I randomly found her book in Barnes and Noble, and I sat down right in the middle of the art aisle struck by the way the colors, marks and textures made me feel. In my own work I love the challenge of discovering those color combinations that will give me that deeply satisfying and moving feeling.

2. It brings my attention and focus into my body. I do have quite a bit of mind chatter, and I have to consciously remind myself to relax and be present in the moment. Painting does this for me automatically. When I am in front of the canvas and deciding what to paint next, I become fully tuned into what feels good in my body. For me this is often a tangible feeling in my gut. So it can feel like I’m directly painting from my body, bypassing all that thinking and mental energy. It can even feel like a spiritual experience at times.

3. When I am painting, I am standing in front of endless possibilities. And that feels amazing. I don’t know what the end result will be, and I don’t have to follow specific steps. There is definitely something beautiful about sitting down and painting what you see in front of you, and I’ve found that practice to be beneficial in so many other ways. I can even see it as another way of meditating. But what brings me back to my abstract painting practice is that it gives me that exciting feeling of not knowing what’s coming next. There is no routine or expectations, and sometimes that freedom is just what I need.

4. It’s challenging. Creating when I have endless choices and I don’t have any expectations is usually not comfortable. I have to be focused on my gut feelings, have courage to try when I know it might not work out, trust that eventually the painting will come together, and keep showing up when things aren’t going my way and I’m questioning everything I’ve just created. But the moment when I make it to the other side, and I’ve created something interesting and beautiful, it is the best feeling in the world. I’ve learned to move through challenges, which is a skill that transfers to life.

5. It connects me with others. I was showing my work at a market once, and a woman stopped to look at my paintings and commented “I would love to get inside of that world in your head.” That was one of the best compliments I’ve gotten. I love when people resonate with what I’ve created because I do feel like I’m painting from this other world that’s beautiful and ethereal, and it’s almost like I’m invoking the feelings from that place into my paintings. And I really enjoy my artist community and making those supportive connections. What I’ve learned through my own practice has given me a unique lens to view and receive other artist’s work as well.