“Crossroads in Paris” by Sarah Giannobile

I’ve always loved abstract art.  I find it very exciting because there is so much left the imagination.  Some paintings tell you exactly what to think; but not abstract painting…  it’s all up to you.   There is, however, a little direction.  It’s sort of an artist’s secret, but I think every art lover should know a little about the inner workings (or the psychology) behind each and every painting.

Colors play a huge role in ideas and emotions.  Think I’m crazy?  What does the color green mean to you?  Lush, fresh, vibrant, grass, trees, spring, Christmas, life, grace, renewal…  Now, lets see what “brown” brings to mind: deep, dirt, rich, wood, coffee, chocolate, rich, dark, dirty, calm, foundational…  These are just the images that came to my mind, but I’ll bet similar ones came to yours.

Line and “movement” also play a large role in abstract paintings.  Horizontal lines or movement (when a line is suggested with shapes, colors, or contrast but not actually drawn) are calmer that vertical lines.  And two or more lines makes the painting appear more energetic than one solo line.  But this is all terribly unromantic.  It is the artist job to get all nitty-gritty with the composition and elements (can I just say that this is not as easy as it looks!).  It’s your job to decide what the painting means to you, whether or not you like it, and, if you do, where you’re going to put it in your house!

I have admired the work of Sarah Giannobile.  She uses so much color and line expression in her paintings!  I love the tiny details she combines with larger, simpler shapes.  So interesting!  Enjoy looking over a couple examples of her work and see what images and ideas they bring to your mind.  To learn more about Sarah and her work, visit her website.

This is a colorscape I created using one of Sarah’s paintings to show you he huge variety of colors in one painting and the moods they represent.

This drawing, “James Town”, is one of my favorites!  I love the extremely delicate lines and how they are combined to create a vibrant piece full of interesting shapes and contrast.