In October/November 2021 I attended an abstract painting studio class at Woodmere Museum in Philadelphia, PA. Our group met in the museum’s teaching studio and spent 3 hours each Tuesday morning just painting with critiques from our instructor, Val Rossman. Thanks to her and my fellow students for a nice experience.
In the third week, I felt more prepared to paint in an abstract(ish) manner. Our class assignment changed from the physical (the still life set-up) to the abstract as well – we were to paint something relating to the idea of nature and its inperfections.
It’s an intriguing idea. How many perfect landscapes have you seen painted or photographed? Lots and lots, I bet. And how many have focused on the beauty and emotion of decay or with parts or pieces missing or the unlovely? Not so many, I would think.
I painted a city scene featuring a street tree losing its leaves. Often these trees are stunted or trimmed poorly or have some other difficulty because it is hard being a tree in the city. I find them beautiful in their determination to survive and I try to notice and appreciate as I see them. Many people, though, just pass on by, maybe caught up in sour thoughts about traffic, or something like that.
That’s what I was thinking. Here is the painting.
“Falling Leaves in the City”, 18″ x 24″ in acrylics on paper (in my extra-large sketchbook).
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
I really like the painting. The contrast between the geometric shapes of the built world and the organic shapes of the plant is really effective. I also like the way there is a splash of that russet colour found in the plants on the arm of the figure. It forges a connection between the natural elements in the landscape and the humans existing in that place.
Thank you. I felt like in this painting I was more myself, and I think there is a story to the painting, too, which is important to me, that my work tells a story. Plus, I just like having a person in my picture!