abstract artist – The Art of Shelli Fitzpatrick

Where some of my abstract ideas come from.

four abstract artworks depicting turbulence — See my entire collection of abstract artwork here

I was just looking at some of my abstract artworks and I noticed that many of them have a wavy turbulent sea theme. That got me thinking about why I create so many pieces that have a tossed and unsettled stormy vibe.

Okay, right here I could get deep and spiritual and say it is a reflection of my inner feelings brought on by the instability of my surroundings in the world, but that doesn’t explain the pieces I created long ago when things were relatively peaceful in my life. I could also say it was a subconcious inner longing for the sea, but that is far from the truth since I am from Colorado and the beaches I grew up with were the rocky shores of cold mountain lakes.

Then I rememebered a time in my past when I was working as a laundry mat attendant and we had those huge triple loader washing machines that have a round window in the front and you can see the colorful clothing being tossed about in the soapy sudsy water. I recall wishing I could capture those kind of scenes with a camera or paints, and all of a sudden, now I know why I tend to create those kind of abstracts over and over again. It is my way of trying to recreate those images from my memory. Not very romantic, I know, but it was kind of surprising to realize it while I was musing.

Autumn is a Lady

Autumn is a Lady is a modern contemporary abstract piece I recently created and when I was finished the title jumped out at me. I remember thinking what a great book cover it would make and how if I were a writer, I would write a novel of the same name just so I could put this art on the cover.

It is available for purchase in many print formats at my website.

#BuyIntoArt

The Definition of Art

See more abstract art at my artist website

What exactly is art and what does it mean to us? Well it turns out there isn’t one definitive answer to this question. You can ask a hundred people and get a hundred different answers.

I thought it would be fun to see how some famous artists answered this question. Here’s what I found.

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” -Pablo Picasso

“All art is but imitation of nature.”
-Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
-Edgar Degas

“Art is the signature of civilizations”
-Jean Sibelius

“Art is a line around your thoughts.”
– Gustav Klimt

“To be an artist is to believe in life.”
– Henry Moore

“Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist.” – René Magritte

“Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.”
– Keith Haring

“The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration.”
– Claude Monet

“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.”
– Edward Hopper

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
– Michelangelo

“My opinion is that the best thing would be to work on till art lovers feel drawn toward it of their own accord, instead of having to praise or to explain it. “
-Vincent Van Gogh

“The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting. “
-Vincent Van Gogh

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”
– Georgia O’Keeffe

“I paint flowers so they will not die.”
– Frida Kahlo

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.”
– Dorothea Lange

So with that, I will end this post with my own quote about art.

“Art is not what I do, it’s who I am. If you cut me, I bleed art. “
-Shelli Fitzpatrick

What is your definition of art?

Abstract Art Obsession

Obsessed with Abstracts

A quick browse thru my artist website will reveal to you that I have an obsession with digital abstract art. I love to look at it and especially to create it.

There is such a freedom in just letting the work lead you. When you start out just playing around with color, shapes, brushes and effects and then when you reach that moment when an artwork starts to gel and you suddenly know what it is supposed to look like so now you take the lead and add the finishing touches.

Each piece turns into an adventure and the creation of each piece is exciting and fresh. It may sound vain for me to say this but when I look back again at certain artworks I have made I get that same excitement all over again.

One thing I really love about abstract work is that each piece is truly unique and while the style can be copied, they cannot be exactly duplicated. How do I know? Because I have tried to make the same thing twice and even I can’t do it with my own art. That is why I don’t mind posting my abstract art for sale online and letting it inspire others.

View more of my work at my artist website

Abstract Realism

There was a question recently posed in an artists forum discussion. “Abstract or Realism?” and my gut response was, both! So I started to explore if there was such a thing as abstract realism, because I really feel like we shouldn’t have to choose one or the other.

As it turns out Abstract realism is an art style that has been around for centuries but only began to be recognized around the 1950’s and 60’s. It has however recently gained a lot of popularity with today’s artists and art lovers. It is a fusion of abstract techniques and realism that lends itself to the digital medium quite well and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I have even created some abstract realism pieces myself without even realizing that was what I was doing. But I think it adds an element of interest, excitement and individuality to a piece to have both abstract and realistic elements blended together.

So if someone asks you; “abstract or realism?” just say both!