The New Art – Tactile, Wearable, Inscribed and Interactive

"Kindred Spirits" acrylic on canvas

A young woman that sits beside me in church on Sunday is emblazoned with tattoos on her arms and legs. One Sunday before service, she noticed my colorful cross necklace that a friend had purchased for me in Italy. She admired it, and I told her I was an artist and that a friend had given me the necklace as a gift.

She promptly stood up and began to show me the tattoos on her arms of which she was very proud. They were artistically done and I commented on their intricacy and beauty.

Once the service started, I had difficulty harnessing my spiritual attention as I gazed at the people sitting in the aisles ahead of me whose garments were colorfully and explicitly designed. I even got out a paper and pencil so I could sketch in quickly the ones that I thought would make stunning abstract art pieces with modifications and color changes. 

Artists can relate how hard it is to focus when you’re surrounded by artistic distractions.

Online galleries are adapting to the new trends. People who may not want to buy an expensive painting, seem willing to purchase a T-shirt or a pillow with that same painting printed on the surface. Smart phone covers, cards, and household wares are being embellished with art.

Now people don’t have to spend more than their budget allows to enjoy stunning artwork. They can purchase basic needs that are splashed in color and their favorite artist’s work.

Some artists have expanded their exposure via clothing, towels, and kitchen wares.

In a rocky economy, these outlets provide secondary income that may increase an artist’s popularity. Unfortunately, not all artwork lends itself to this marketplace, and some artists are changing their style for dollars and more accessibility. For those artists who are willing to make those compromises and changes, there is money to be made.

Adapting to a volatile market is key. Sadly many artists lag behind every new trend. Keeping up to date is difficult if your passion and style don’t lend themselves to fads and whims that fluctuate with a fickle public. Testing the waters with your own vision will at least keep you on the buyer’s radar.

For a look at "The Best Wearable Art, go to this link:  Wearable Art 

Developing Style one Brush Stroke at a Time

"First Daffodil" acrylic on canvas

If you’re like me, you keep your eyes on trends: What are people buying? What’s the new hot color? How long will this geometric craze last?

When circles, lines and shapes were popular in the 60s and 70s, I grew tired of them within a few years. The revival of this psychedelic conglomeration of zigzags and prisms hit me at a time when my home is full of traditional furniture. But one thing I’ve learned about trends and fads, they never last.

Today driving to an appointment, I noticed that new white cars are multiplying as are white vans and trucks for business. Even the latest auto ads are featuring white and chrome.

(Picasso's Blue Period 1903)

(Picasso's African Period 1907)

In the September Better Homes and Garden (BHG) and Woman’s Day magazines, white walls are making a comeback. These virginal surfaces allow bold and bright accents to add zing and a bit of flare to an eclectic mix of modern and traditional.

Recent issues featured vintage finds that tone down and anchor the bright colors and soften the angular lines and shapes they bump into. Designers call it a “happy blend.”

Kishani Perera, who loves traditional finds from the past, is a designer, author, and owner of the LA boutique and Rummage (featured in BHG Sept. 2015). She said: “So many pieces from earlier times were made to last forever. That’s the beauty of vintage.”

VARIOUS STYLES OF FINE ART

So, dear friends, don’t give up. Use those old pieces your mother left you. Incorporate those interesting and universal items gleaned from garage and estate sales and relax. Surround yourself with what makes you happy.

The same goes for your own artistic skills. If you do what makes you happy, eventually you’ll develop your own style. Don’t get sucked into every fad that comes along unless it becomes a part of your style. Your work should be unique and recognizable.

According to definition: “In the visual arts, style is a ...distinctive manner which permits the grouping of works into related categories."^[1] or ..any distinctive, and therefore recognizable, way in which an act is performed or an artifact made or ought to be performed and made."^[2] It refers to the visual appearance of a work of art that relates it to other works by the same artist or one from the same period, training, location, ‘school’, art movement or archaeological culture: "The notion of style has long been the art historian's principal mode of classifying works of art. By style he selects and shapes the history of art".^[3] (Wickipedia)

Balance and Harmony Keep a Composition or a Design in Check

"Victims of War" acrylic on canvas

I know an art teacher who also owns an art store. One day he showed me his paintings that were hung around the entire shop near the ceiling. He used these in classes for examples and demonstration.

“My paintings used to go so fast, I couldn’t keep any hanging,” he said. “Now I can’t sell any of them.”

The paintings were stunning landscapes of Florida scenes and of the Gulf; traditional compositions that once “brought a hefty price,” he complained.

Today “wild is in.” Even the works of amateurs are being bought up if they are unusual, colorful, and a tad weird. Perhaps it’s a reflection of the times and our confused and undisciplined society. Anything goes as long as it entertains and dazzles the eye; fads that may in time become the new “norm.”

Finding the right balance is a real dilemma every artist grapples with. Keeping one foot in the real world and the other in the solid traditions of the past is a struggle. When you allow yourself to push against the outer limits, or by way of contrast show restraint, a judgment call must be made based on each artist’s level of experience and training.

"Prayer Circles"  mixed media on canvas

I enjoy the humor that many artists use to invite people into their perspective. There are so many fearful and chaotic events happening at home and around the globe to cause anxiety. Some “comic relief” is healthy and relieves stress. Conversation pieces that cause laughter rather than thoughtful reflection may be just what the doctor ordered.

Tactile paintings: pop art, half art and half craft invite us to touch and examine. Critics lament that this practice degrades and gives real works of art a tawdry and cheap appeal. But they are selling none-the-less because they’re affordable and fun.

Trends come and go. What is in fashion today may be gone tomorrow. Artists must learn to adapt to the changing scene and create a unique and appealing style that sets them apart from the rest; keeping in mind that the classics, the centuries old tried and true methods of the past have weathered the test of time and will endure.

"Moody Blues" mixed media on canvas

Vibrant color is a significant part of this new genre. From the book: “Color Design Workbook” by Adams Morioka and Terey Stone, the authors’ state: “Color is a visual language in and of itself; it can attract the eye and focus attention on the intended message in the work. Color can be used to irritate or relax, encourage participation or alienate.

Advertiser Josef Albers remarked that “Whether bright or dull, singular or complex, physiological or psychological, theoretical or experiential, the persuasive power of color attracts and motivates.”

Also from the book: “As humans, we seek balance, especially in terms of color. For example, when exposed to a particular hue, our brains seem to expect the complementary color. If it is present, the combination looks vibrant. If it is absent, our brains tend to produce it to form a balance.” 

These very reasons alone explain why one painting is chosen over another. Although people see colors in different ways, they almost always choose that which is pleasing to the senses. With knowledge and experimentation, you too can be a part of those who sell on a regular basis.

"Cafe' Costa Rica" acrylic on canvas

Cachet Ole’ – Have you got it?

I was watching CNBC’s “morning bell” while I had my first cup of coffee. They were discussing “Apple’s” slide and whether it was still a good investment. The answer was “yes,” because Steve Job’s and Apple have “cachet!”

In other words, Apple continues to have street cred; their past performance and standing ushered in a new era of distinct technology that still has clout even though Steve Job’s is no longer a part of the company.

Every business, every entrepreneur strives for that same kind of recognition. They compete and develop a style they hope will distinguish them from the rest. The familiar apple with the bite/(byte) out of it certainly became a memorable staple in our economy. But this was not Apple’s first logo.

According to the article “From the Evolution and History of the Apple Logo: “The original logo depicted Isaac Newton sitting under a tree, an apple dangling precipitously above his head. The phrase on the outside border reads, “Newton… A Mind Forever Voyaging Through Strange Seas of Thought … Alone.”

“The multi-colored Apple logo was in use for 22 years before it was axed by Steve Jobs less than a year after his return to Apple in 1997. In its place was a new logo that did away with the colorful stripes and replaced it with a more modern monochromatic look that has taken on a variety of sizes and colors over the past few years. The overall shape of the logo, however, remains unchanged from its original inception 33 years ago.”

The plain monochrome logo was sophisticated and looked more classy than trendy on the laptops and I-pads. The new logo stuck and has been in use since 1998.

I use two of my most popular paintings as logos. Other artists have unusual signatures that are designs unto themselves which they use to sign their paintings. 

Recognition is a slow upward climb. Staying power, clout, and cachet are built over time and must be earned. 

Vindication – What Goes Around Comes around

When we moved into our villa, everything was white; the tiled floors, the walls, the cupboards. Over the last few years, we watched the trends go from white to color and from pastel to bright and bold. Through it all, we stoically held our own as we watched our friends slather on reds, golds, teals, and yellows.

Our dark bold furnishings complimented our world of white. I did admire the bright gleam of graceful white flowers and white woodwork against the latest trending colors, but we stood firm on grounds of economics and the fact that our walls were freshly painted when we moved in.

"Blending In" 11x14 acrylic on panel / in barnwood frame

Trends have a way of reaching their peak. People tire of intensity and they long for peace and non-distraction. Enter the new white; not only exhibited on walls and cupboard doors, but in furnishings. The scuffed up well-worn white of yesteryear has been replaced by shiny smooth. We’re back in style! Vindication -- oh, sweet reprieve!

The same holds true for clothes. If you leave them hanging in your closet long enough they will be back in style in a few short years. What goes around does come around. The same holds true for art. Styles and trends cycle; but if you go back far enough, you’ll find some of the same trends with a slight twist.

Today’s trendy art boasts a large following of buyers. It is hip, techie, and speaks to the young at heart. Ignore the trends if you must, or climb on board and take advantage of the upswing; in either case, as Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Passion, though a bad regulator, is a powerful spring.”

But don’t let your heart or your eyes be fooled. Even though art is trending free and wild, the successful still follow the tried and true rules of color theory and composition. In fact, this is the very reason an artist is able to get away with so much. Knowing what colors to use, how, and when is the key to their popular draw. Rules of composition still apply, perhaps even more so as the subjects and images become more outlandish.

Andy Warhol once said that “rules are meant to be broken.” Knowing how to break them creatively and within the bounds of good art is another matter. Once you know all the rules that govern art, then choosing which one you will break for a given effect is not stupid, it’s creative license.

My own journey has been one of trial and error. I’ve always been a non-conformist of sorts, and my internal creativity screams at sameness, blandness, duplication, or compliance with other people’s rules of beauty or completeness.

We’re told as artists that we should be “loose,” and that we should “fly.” But at the same time, our journey is bound by strict compliance to certain codes of behavior and performance. I don’t know about you, but I get confused. I’m hoping something “clicks” sooner than later! 

Learning is a Never-Ending Journey

You will never “arrive.” Get that thought out of your head. If you’re not learning, if you’re not growing and adding to your knowledge, you are backsliding.

Sure experience, and technique once mastered, gives you an edge. But if you don’t stay on top of current trends and a changing audience, you become stagnant.

Just ask an artist in their seventies or eighties. You can quickly become irrelevant if you fail to adapt to the changing world around you. Businesses rise and fall when a company fails to keep abreast of current trends and customer demographics. Skills weaken and change if they’re not being used. If you allow yourself to get rusty and out of shape, no amount of salesmanship can pull you from a neglectful slump.

Consider your vocation, your avocation or career as a lifetime endeavor. You never arrive because you’re always striving to become better. Your competition is not with other artists, but with yourself.

This dynamic creates enthusiasm, joy, and satisfaction. Nothing can compare with the feeling of mastering something new. Life is never dull because there’s always the next hurdle to overcome, the next goal to reach, and the excitement of reaching a new level of skill.

Achievers never quit. Their journey is a process not a destination. Discovering new layers of themselves brings them success automatically. Their goal is not fame, but self mastery. When all the elements of success are in place, recognition comes automatically.

Timing is another key. When opportunity strikes, the achiever will reach out and grab it. This is not the time for procrastination or self doubt. The golden ring doesn’t come around often. Be alert to opportunity when it comes. Don’t let fear keep you from reaching out. If you do, there may be no second chances.

The photos in this blog were taken in parts of Snellville and Hiawasee, Georgia.