Catastrophes and abstract painting

My intentions are always to follow a coherent logical thread as I write these posts, yet somehow that seldom happens. Life gets in the way.

As I write, I am mindful that we live in uncertain times, times of immense hardship to many people worldwide. As each natural catastrophe unfolds with increasing severity, we are constantly reminded of our frail humanity. We are helpless in the face of the strength and power of nature and can but take the hand that life deals us. We can only watch and pray as we see our fellow human beings suffer – be it those here in Queensland still trying to recover from floods and the cyclone, our friends across the Tasman in Christchurch and those brave souls in Japan, enduring earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear radiation.

It seems banal to return to my topic of discussing abstract painting – but painting is as important to me as breathing – so I must continue living and painting, and in some way bring some light to dark days.



Flinders Blue - oil on canvas 101cm x 101cm

© 2011Carol Lee Beckx



The evolution of a painting is sometimes rapid other times there are a number of steps along the way. This painting started off with the sketches posted previously. Ideas from my client gave the impetus to creating more curves and flowing lines, and with this direction was able to do a further acrylic sketch.

Acrylic sketch for Flinders Blue

On starting to work in oil on canvas the painting, (as they sometimes do if you’re lucky) took on a life of its own. The end result has luminous colour and lively movement.  I called the painting Flinders Abstract in honour of a new yummy colour I found – Flinders Blue violet.