Grace Darakjian: Nancy Newton and Representational Abstraction

Nancy Newton and Representational Abstraction 

Nancy Newton, Sea-Shell Cradle 30" by 60" Acrylic on Canvas

Objectives:

  • Learn about Nancy Newton's art practice

  • Learn about different forms of abstraction

  • Discover new ways of representing subjects from real life 



Nancy Newton’s art portrays abstract landscapes in order to express the feeling and mood of the land, rather than creating an exact replica. However, I believe in her doing so, she creates a more “realistic” representation of the land. As shown in the artwork above, "Sea-Shell Cradle", the painting is of a sea shell, but not a sea shell as you would see it in real life. Through her artworks she is able to show the beauty, flow, and essences of the land, to make you feel like you are experiencing what it is like to be in that space. Through this project you will be able to turn a realistic rendition of a natural motif into an abstract representation. You will create 5 artworks of your chosen motif, each becoming more abstract than the last, until you merely show the essence of the subject. Examples will be provided by me. Newton states "once the students really become familiar with the subject, then they can really become creative", therefore after exploring the same subject matter multiple times throughout this activity, the more free your art will become.



Materials: 

Any drawing or painting material of your choice, and something to draw or paint on.



Procedures: 


        1. Immerse yourself in nature. This can mean sitting in your front or backyard, going to a park, beach, etc. Find something that inspires you. Such as the grass, a tree, flowers, a pond, or anything else you see.

        2. With your medium of choice, create a "realistic" rendition of your subject matter.


    3.  Create a second rendition. This time, make it slightly less realistic. Change the colour, adjust the scale, or anything else you would like to do. 


      4. Create a third rendition. Let go of your shape. Do not worry about it looking "good" or "bad".


               5. Create a fourth rendition. Let the subject matter flow through you.


      6. Create your fifth, and final, version. Try to only put down marks that are absolutely necessary. 

           


Now that you have played with different art styles and discovered different types of representation, you know that abstract art has the ability to hold the energy the spirit of things from life. By making these five artworks, you broke the barriers of representational art, and found new ways of looking at the world around you.

Popular posts from this blog

Catalina Bravo: Water through Abstract Lenses

Image
  Water through Abstract Lenses Catalino Bravo "Sea Shell Cradle" Acrylic on Canvas, Nancy Newton Nancy Newton's work FROM THE SEA / FROM THE PAST at the Propeller Art Gallery was very inspirational. Nancy talks about how nature and music inspired her to make all her work for her “From the Sea” mixed media pieces. As someone who was always by the water, whether it was the ocean, rivers, lakes, cascades, etc., I felt this viewing really connected me to my roots and my life.  Growing up in Chile, I was always surrounded by nature. This is something I miss so deeply.  I can see, from viewing Nancy’s work, how well she captures the rhythm and energy of the sea in her own terms. I have always thought that different bodies of water give different vibes and energies, which can be transformed and represented in many ways and forms in art. My own family has always been surrounded by art and I grew up being exposed to art. My dad and my grandmother are very artistically inclined....
Read more

Charlie Ball: Experiments in Sound --- Looking Deeper

Image
Nancy Newton’s From the Sea/From the Past : Experiments in Sound --- Looking Deeper As viewers of Newton’s exhibit at the Propeller Gallery, we were able to follow the artist's concept development and visualization in work that was produced over more than a decade.  In looking at the work in both the North and South galleries, we can see how the artist provides us, as viewers, with broad perspectives on her surroundings. We can see how sounds have an impact on how the artist interprets her surroundings and subject matter as well. It seems that when music is involved, images become more whimsical and magical. We see psychedelic colours and flowing lines, alongside other experimental qualities.                   Autumn Song , Mixed Media Drawing Easy Journey , Mixed Media Collage  R. Murray Schafer,  the composer of the musical work which first inspired Ms. Newton’s venture into...
Read more

Aisha Jaffar: Exploring Music

Image
Exploring Music  Nancy Newton’s latest exhibition at Propeller Gallery showcased two collections of her work; From The Sea, and From The Past . Newton, N, Flying Over.  [Mixed Media Collage, 23 x 32 inches] Propeller Gallery, Toronto, ON, Canada.  Nancy's work in From The Sea is inspired by Canadian musician R. Murray Schafer’s music. She spent 10 years exploring landscapes and making art inspired by how she felt by listening to his music.  To view more of her work from the exhibit you can visit this link to the Propeller Gallery website: https://propellerartgallery.com/exhibitions/from-the-sea-from-the-past-nancy-newton/   If you would like to get a deeper understanding of Nancy’s creative process, I have provided links to 3 songs by R. Murray Schafer - you can find more on his Spotify.  1. Dance of the Bull  https://open.spotify.com/track/3JbYdAzFokfYtGvNNjwcGe?si=46e6b6f62b0a4d5e 2. Isis & Nephthys  https://open.spotify.c...
Read more