Walking with Big Shoes

Keep on Truckin' by Robert Crumb

Mom walking in her big shoes. Max Witter, 6 years old.

I've always been amazed by children's art and inspired by my own kids' pictures. This painting above, right, was inspired by a drawing my son did of a figure in the same pose (above). Later someone pointed out that it resembled that iconic figure by Robert Crumb, from Zap Comix; 1967. I remember some great images from Mad magazine in the 70's but was too young for Zap. The unusual pose is what struck me about this; walking with the arms behind the head. It's odd to see the arms in a relaxed state while the lower body is moving. My son said it was a portrait of me "walking with my big shoes". My shoes were too big that year, from  swollen feet during my pregnancy with Jack. In the painting I wanted to express a feeling of pure happiness. But I included a wasp under the leading foot; signifying the comic/tragic nature of life. That's our old house up there, overlooking the Missouri river.

Abstract paintings byJennifer Wiggs: What is a "bad" abstract painting?

Abstract paintings byJennifer Wiggs: What is a "bad" abstract painting?: "Yellow Green landscape. So the complement of red-violet is?...Yep, green-yellow. Here I did an ink drawing on watercolor paper, followed ..."

What is a "bad" abstract painting?

Yellow Green landscape.

So the complement of red-violet is?...Yep, green-yellow. Here I did an ink drawing on watercolor paper, followed by the yellow watercolor,ending with the opaque gouache on top. So what is it? The subject I mean? Well, it's a painting. How do you define a painting? An arrangement of colors, lines and values on a flat surface. I thought of this as a landscape, re-arranged, a slightly fragmented surface. The blue grays complement the orange touches. How can you tell what is "bad" abstract painting? This is a very intriguing and difficult question. I've seen warehouses full of really bad abstract pieces online; usually characterized by bright color, repetitive, monotonous mark-making, mark-making that isn't sensitive to the page or descriptive in any way, is not  sensitively made, like beautiful calligraphy can be. Frequently they are huge pieces, with out of the tube colors. Or they are obviously look-alikes to someone elses' real, heartfelt art. Sometimes they are so loud the echo hurts; they are screaming look at me!!