Abstraction is a Leaky Category

"Abstraction has long since ceased to have a single, purist philosophy, but is now more like a souk, a meeting place for contradictory or perverse ideas, drives, and methods: the filmic, the rhizome, pastiche, doodling as gesture, nature, Zen, political signs. Abstraction is a very leaky category..."

Quote from Painting Today, page 161.

This month's painting project is about abstraction from nature, using a flower as the starting point but shifting your observation of it from "whole, real flower" to "section and abstraction". Such as this painting by Papaya and Pink Peony by LorraineMae.

From emails and forum discussions, it seems some people have had trouble with the concept. If you are, try crawling around your flower garden on your knees with a camera. (Or if your knees are a bit creeky, delegate a grandchild.) Even a normal lens will make you see it differently, though a macro lens is even better. Last summer I spent time playing amongst the roses, resulting in photos like this which would be a perfect starting point for an abstract from nature.

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