I find abstraction engages me more intellectually and emotionally than figurative art, both in the creating and in the appreciating/viewing. I was art school trained at a time in the 1990s when painting was “dead” and there was/is nothing new in art. We must always honour what it is that lights us up and follow it with passion. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and delightful sketchbook pages.
I am SO inspired by this, as I always am with your YouTube videos and your work. It really speaks to parts of me that want to find that freedom and playfulness but I am really held back by so many critical voices in my head. Thank you for the inspiration Sonia! I love seeing your sketchbooks so much.
Thank you Lisa, I do appreciate all the comments , I have for sure grown in confidence over the years to share this and make videos! I still feel the critical voices for sure and a feel a bit of what my kids would call 'cringe' at times but then I remember I've no regrets about going down the creative path.
Your work is so beautiful! I love getting lost in the colors and shapes. Abstract art has a hypnotic quality that draws me in. Thank-you for posting this. 💜✨
It took me years not to feel weird about putting time into this genre of art , like it was ‘too much play’ I should be doing something else - but now I do appreciate I have made my own progress with it.
I love your abstracts! I grew up believing the opposite notion, that representative art was mostly passe and abstraction was the only serious path to being a "real" artist. I do both because they both serve a different purpose for me. Chasing trends seems like a losing proposition in the long run.
That is so interesting and an important point, how different backgrounds and cultures can influence our judgements on art- I hope too to continue practising both, I like to be able to flit in and out of them depending on how much I've on my plate or what is currently fascinating me
Thank you for the insight and wonderfully sensitive observations. I stopped and stared. Technically, do you mix your own colors and is that goache mostly?
Hi, so many of these were done with jelly gouache and i just used the colours unmixed. This allows me to just get on and make a bit of work here and there.
I love your abstracts and your sketchbooks full of them - one of the main reasons I follow your you tube account. I love doodling and abstract collage - very freeing and relaxing
I can totally relate! I am loving to paint abstracts right now and love yours! It has been so fun to express through movement and color rather than eyes, faces, and portraits.
That is great to hear. I agree that abstracts also have a lot of movement, I like all art, but I do find this work more energising, and I feel more open and positive after playing about with these.
Very happy to read your post, I also like to work in abstract and I am not sure why and find that question interesting. Somehow I think it gets directly at something I am feeling and seeing.
Hi Sonia, I follow you on youtube and I've just opened a substack account to follow you here as weel. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your art practice and your deep thought on abstract art. It resonates with me a lot. I reealy feel inspired by your art currently and try to make my own version of it (but it begins always by copying the master, be sure I always quote you!!). Anyway. I also felt the same about abstract. Like I can do better and I must do better. Butthis is the art that make my heart sings. That brings me joy and that soothe my mind. Everytime I am in more realstic art (like illustration or portrait) I feel my innercritic growing and burning from bad ego. I don't have that with abstract.
Thank you ! I really appreciate your sharing and that you too feel similarly about abstract art - funnily enough I tried this week to get back to a more realistic family portrait and it did not go well - I struggled terribly to get a likeness , even when abstracts go wrong I don’t feel so frustrated!!!
I find abstraction engages me more intellectually and emotionally than figurative art, both in the creating and in the appreciating/viewing. I was art school trained at a time in the 1990s when painting was “dead” and there was/is nothing new in art. We must always honour what it is that lights us up and follow it with passion. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and delightful sketchbook pages.
So true- I don't regret following my passions, it helps me be more supportive of those I'm close to
I am SO inspired by this, as I always am with your YouTube videos and your work. It really speaks to parts of me that want to find that freedom and playfulness but I am really held back by so many critical voices in my head. Thank you for the inspiration Sonia! I love seeing your sketchbooks so much.
Thank you Lisa, I do appreciate all the comments , I have for sure grown in confidence over the years to share this and make videos! I still feel the critical voices for sure and a feel a bit of what my kids would call 'cringe' at times but then I remember I've no regrets about going down the creative path.
Your work is so beautiful! I love getting lost in the colors and shapes. Abstract art has a hypnotic quality that draws me in. Thank-you for posting this. 💜✨
thank you ! appreciate your commenting
Thank you for putting your journey into words. It inspires me to do the same. But it might take a long time. 🤗
It took me years not to feel weird about putting time into this genre of art , like it was ‘too much play’ I should be doing something else - but now I do appreciate I have made my own progress with it.
I love you’re abstract work. They have a joie de vivre that’s quite refreshing and the colours are magic. Keep going
Thank you
I prefer abstract, even when I feel a pull elsewhere I always return. Your abstract explorations are beautiful.
Thanks - me too ,
I love your abstracts! I grew up believing the opposite notion, that representative art was mostly passe and abstraction was the only serious path to being a "real" artist. I do both because they both serve a different purpose for me. Chasing trends seems like a losing proposition in the long run.
That is so interesting and an important point, how different backgrounds and cultures can influence our judgements on art- I hope too to continue practising both, I like to be able to flit in and out of them depending on how much I've on my plate or what is currently fascinating me
Thank you for the insight and wonderfully sensitive observations. I stopped and stared. Technically, do you mix your own colors and is that goache mostly?
Hi, so many of these were done with jelly gouache and i just used the colours unmixed. This allows me to just get on and make a bit of work here and there.
I love your abstracts and your sketchbooks full of them - one of the main reasons I follow your you tube account. I love doodling and abstract collage - very freeing and relaxing
thank you !
Your sketchbook always stops me in my tracks, Sonia. It's alive in a way that I find so energizing and inspiring.
thank you - I enjoy making these sketchbook pages so much.
I can totally relate! I am loving to paint abstracts right now and love yours! It has been so fun to express through movement and color rather than eyes, faces, and portraits.
That is great to hear. I agree that abstracts also have a lot of movement, I like all art, but I do find this work more energising, and I feel more open and positive after playing about with these.
I notice it is energizing too! Love working with color!
I love the abstract! Very fun colors, too!
As an abstract artist , I love those so much!
I really love this! As a mom to a 1 and 3 year old trying to find moments to still be creative, I love this perspective.
Lovely but full on ages for the kids, I know it is hard to find time to be creative for yourself.
Very happy to read your post, I also like to work in abstract and I am not sure why and find that question interesting. Somehow I think it gets directly at something I am feeling and seeing.
I feel that too.
Hi Sonia, I follow you on youtube and I've just opened a substack account to follow you here as weel. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your art practice and your deep thought on abstract art. It resonates with me a lot. I reealy feel inspired by your art currently and try to make my own version of it (but it begins always by copying the master, be sure I always quote you!!). Anyway. I also felt the same about abstract. Like I can do better and I must do better. Butthis is the art that make my heart sings. That brings me joy and that soothe my mind. Everytime I am in more realstic art (like illustration or portrait) I feel my innercritic growing and burning from bad ego. I don't have that with abstract.
Hi Melody
Thank you ! I really appreciate your sharing and that you too feel similarly about abstract art - funnily enough I tried this week to get back to a more realistic family portrait and it did not go well - I struggled terribly to get a likeness , even when abstracts go wrong I don’t feel so frustrated!!!