When I started down this Artsy path I was determined not to get stuck in just one mode of art. I am going to develop my own style, but to do that I need to learn about all the various forms of art available to me. I imagine that abstract art might be a part of my blended outside-of-the-box style of artsy.

As a next step, I chose the book to get a basic understanding of abstract art. I am just a deaf guy who is quickly approaching my 80th year on earth so I know I will never reach any serious level of competence, but just learning new things such as abstract art, and putting them into practice is enough for me.

I particularly like this book shown to the right as it is well-written and helps me look at art from a different level. From the book I have learned that abstract is a state of mind, not just mimicking others. I must cultivate my own ideas for the art that I produce.

I have learned that oftentimes, the beginning of abstract images comes from personal drawings and photographs. I will certainly be using that. Another item on the author’s list is to explore the use of color theory in abstraction and how color provides an emotional impact on my artwork.

Finally, I learned that there are two basic types of abstract. One is non-objective using shapes, colors, and such to create a composition. The second is figurative abstraction which includes abstracted landscapes, still life, and similar things. In that mode, you start with an image and then eliminate the details. That allows your emotions to dictate what you produce. I think I will likely use both types. I have thousands of photographs from my 50-year journey across North America. They are just waiting for me to see them with My Mind’s Eye.

This is a well-written book that definitely helped me on my road to artsy.