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!!

Abstract paintings byJennifer Wiggs: Color as Subject

Abstract paintings byJennifer Wiggs: Color as Subject: Blue and Orange Beat. gouache on paper. 9x 13". Color is my subject in this painting.The brightest red behaves more like an orange here; t..."

Color as Subject

Blue and Orange Beat. gouache on paper. 9x 13".

Color is my subject in this painting.The brightest red behaves more like an orange here; the blue is "pulling" the orange out of the red. Cadmium reds are really quite orange to begin with. The light/dark grays and other neutrals add a liveliness to the palette.My goal here was to pack it in and make it feel like it could fly apart or fall apart.. Do you think the surface is active enough? I think I could have gone further.

Abstract paintings byJennifer Wiggs: Color Planes

Abstract paintings byJennifer Wiggs: Color Planes: "Color Planes. 13 x18. gouache. c2010Here's a piece demonstrating how one color can play different spatial roles in a composition. Careful ..."

Color Planes

Color Planes. 13 x18. gouache. c2010

Here's a piece demonstrating how one color can play different spatial roles in a composition. Careful arrangements can increase visual play.  The gray and the orange can be both figure and ground. I also use implied lines at the top where the orange creates a diagonal from  the left, the small arrangement of shapes in the top right makes the orange appear like it's occupying two different spaces. A bonus by using gray: no matter what color you select next to a gray, the gray will take on that color's complement. In this case, the gray becomes bluish.