Why Abstract?

I didn't choose Abstract...Abstract chose me.

2-Faced, 2020 by Fior De La Cruz (unreleased)

A lot of the time, people ask me, "Fior, why did you choose to create abstract artwork?" or they ask "you can paint faces and landscapes right?"

The short answer is: I just like it. and yes.

But of course, I am going to give you a more complicated answer, because that's just how I do things.

I like that when I paint, I try not to make the work look too literal. A part of the piece may look a certain way to me, but to another person, whatever I create, may look like something else to them. And I like that a lot as it gives me a sense of freedom. As a free-spirit, I like that it's not really traditional. Plus, I feel like abstract art (umbrella term) is universal and has a bunch of subgenres that can be played around with. I can still paint faces and landscapes even in an 'abstract' manner. But I know people meant, "do you know how to take a more realistic approach". It's not really my cup of tea, I highkey get bored easily. I totally can, but I just find pleasure in creating a fantasy or making people think and feel. I want my work to non-verbally pick at someone's brain. If I were to create anything that was supposed to imitate real life, it would trigger my desire for perfectionism, and I don't want that at all. I'm already an overthinker, and I ✨simply✨ don't need that energy.

I feel like when I create abstract, it actually challenges me. Usually, I paint without having things mapped out, and I just "do what I feel". Okay, that might've sounded contradictory, but hear me out. THe cHallEnGe is not having things mapped out sometimes. So, half of the time I'm not sure if I'm done with the piece. I only know when I'm done when I feel like I can't do anything else to it 🤷.

Anyways, I initially start off with an idea ranging from either a color, technique, texture, and tool I can use. Then, from that idea, I think about how to execute the composition. So, the process becomes like a calm way of problem solving. I'm going to use this piece of artwork as reference.

Intergalactic Space Station, 2020 by Fior De La Cruz

At the beginning, Intergalactic Space Station was not what I thought it would be. I had just bought this print making roller so that I could find an easier way to paint a solid background for canvases. The start of this painting was purely experimental. I thought to myself, "I want to make a painting that uses my two favorite colors (which are complimentary)". So, I put a thin line of orange on the roller and started rolling on the canvas. As a result, the background came out with a pattern of orange organic shapes. I rolled in different directions without re applying orange to the roller, which gave it a "layered/overlay" look. From there, I started layering blue brushstrokes, an 'overlay' blue circle in the middle, and red splotches. To me, the blue circle kind of looked like a planet. So I just went along with it. I decided to take that 'spacey' approach and go with that theme. From there, I finished it off with the linework.