Making Space

This week I was fortunate enough to have my work critiqued by Nicholas Wilton. Nick offers monthly critiques to members of his Art2Life Academy and I had joined the waiting list, expecting to hear from them sometime next year.Instead, a spot opened up suddenly and I was invited to submit my work along with my questions for Nick.These questions boiled down to one thing: how to transition from where I am (semi-abstract landscapes) to where I would like to go next (pure abstraction that convey the essence and emotion of the landscape without relying on horizon lines and sky).Nick gave me a ton of encouragement and all kinds of incredibly helpful advice that I plan to integrate into my work over the coming months. One of the things we discussed was the opportunity to open up my paintings in order to convey a sense of space.After our conversation, I went back in to my studio and did some work on this piece. Here is where it was after a couple of layers of paint.This was only ever intended to be the under-painting, but I now decided to go in and create that sense of space by opening up large areas of the painting.Already this felt better - as though things could breathe. But there are a few problems here. First I have that horizon line again and also the painting still feels too 'thin' because I haven't built up enough layers and because there aren't enough differences throughout.To address this, I am now building up the paint, working intuitively, but then stopping to assess and identify areas that could be made more interesting and more different from one another, then moving back into painting without thinking.It isn't there yet, but interesting depth is beginning to emerge and there is a greater sense of space. I also like that the marks are beginning to convey wind and light without actually representing those things literally.This constant shift between left and right brain has been one of the most challenging things for me over the last year, but it now seems to be more integrated. I notice that I spend less time in the 'thinking mind' and more time painting from my heart. And when I do that, things always become more interesting.I think the next stage of my development (and of this painting!) will be to stay in my right brain for more and more of the painting process and to only switch to left brain if I get really stuck. I feel that's where the magic lies for me.I know some artists need to know where they're going and what comes next, but I love this not knowing. It makes every painting session an adventure. Sometimes I get to a good place, sometimes I arrive somewhere I don't like. But good or bad, it's never anywhere I've been before.I think that's pretty cool :)