Michaela Flatley
This series of paintings was inspired by techniques that I learned in Richard Kalina’s Abstraction class. Prior to this class, I had worked mostly with realism and my exploration of abstraction was limited. Throughout the course of this semester, I have learned that I enjoy two very different elements of creating abstract art: crisp, geometric shapes and gestural techniques. I decided to experiment with combining these two strategies within one painting.
The juxtaposition of these two very different visuals also strikes me on a personal level. I am a very expressive artist, meaning my process is almost always apparent in my finished work. I have always been intrigued by alternative applications of paint, such as pouring, spraying, and dripping. These techniques represent me as an artist. In a separate part of my life, I am interested in mathematics, have a finance-based internship, and thrive on structure. This element is represented by the geometric, intricately measured designs on these paintings. I am consistently finding myself conflicted between these two aspects of my life, especially now, as I get ready to graduate and enter the job force. I fear getting stuck in one of these lifestyles, and losing sight of the other. This series is meant to represent that battle, while displaying a sharp contrast between two different abstract styles.