Current Project: Abstraction Progressions

Recently, I've been challenging myself to step outside of my comfort zone of realism and extensive detail. I want to explore impressionism, expressionism, and abstraction. I am inspired by the art nouveau of Gustav Klimt, the cubism of Picasso, and the fauvism of Henri Matisse. I am inexperienced with all of these styles, so it is a difficult undertaking. It is so tempting to fall back into the style I am most comfortable with. To facilitate this process, I am completing a series of abstraction progressions. Using simple subject matter, such as one piece of fruit, I start with a realistic painting, followed by impressionistic, then cubist, and finally, abstract. This exercise encourages me to observe the subject matter differently, adjust my perception, and portray this new interpretation on the canvas.

Here you can see the process, first with an apple, then with a banana. Which series do you prefer? And which style appeals most to you?

Apple Abstraction © Christi Seidman 2019

Banana Abstraction © Christi Seidman 2019