Remember my class from this winter/spring? I had a couple more paintings in progress as the class finished, both one hundred percent to the abstract side of the scale. As a reminder, the class was about exploring the continuum of doing art from abstract to realistic (or vice versa) – the idea being that every work exists somewhere on this spectrum.
This one is called “Not Angry” and it’s 18″ x 24″ on masonite, done in acrylics.
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
I’d like to know more about “Not Angry” like what inspired the composition, etc.
Well, I find working on total abstract things like this kind of hard, I experiment, I push the paint around, I do all kinds of things. This can lead to feelings that usually are frustration! So this poor painting, this is the third totally different look it had. I could have kept on going on and on forever, I realized. The darn painting was not going to make me angry about this, I decided. And that is where I stopped. And why it got its name. The painting is not angry! And, I am trying not to be angry!
Ah! Thanks for giving me that background that is very helpful in understanding the piece 🙂
Usually I try to have more meaningful or straightforward titles but this time…!!!
I like the juxtaposition of stillness and motion in this. (K)
Thank you. I painted multi paintings on this poor board and this is where the process finally stopped. I could have gone on forever. It’s so much difficulty for me to guide or direct this kind of painting.
I like where it ended up.
If somebody told me that you had witnessed a ship smashing into a harbour wall I would believe them. And, I would believe it, too, if they suggested that this was your creative response to seeing such a disaster. I feel the board is vibrating with dispersing energy.
Thank you. I find abstract painting is unsettling. Maybe because there is no set beginning or end. You could go on and on. I find myself in a different pace or state of mind when I do this kind of work. It is not an unpleasant kind of unsettling, though, more like the painting challenges me to work with it and get there together somehow.
I think I know what you mean, although I think sometimes I am a little more than unsettled when embarking on a new piece that’s out of my usual comfort zone. Mind you every new day these days is somewhat tinged with extra anxiety even being double vaccinated. I think I am becoming a wimp.
No, I think you are reacting to a prolonged period of fear and uncertainty in a sensible way. It takes time to recover, or maybe it is not recover, but adjust. That is what I am experiencing too.
Yes, maybe it is about adjustment.