Improvisational Artwork
Yes and…
If you know anything about improv comedy you’ve probably heard the phrase ‘yes, and’ before but might not really understand what it means. Well, as someone who is a devoted improv-nerd I can tell you that it basically means that you listen and positively accept what is given to you and then add on. I believe in this philosophy so much that when I got married to my husband we said ‘yes, and’ instead of ‘I do.’ This philosophy isn’t just great for creating comedy on stage but it’s a life motto that I wholeheartedly believe in. The thing I love about improv is while there is study and rules involved there’s no right or wrong when done in good faith and the choices you make are completely spontaneous in the moment. It’s a very pure artwork that when done genuinely feels very joyous. I’ve always strived to replicate this in my artwork in a consistent manner.
I’ve been painting for many, many years and my focus has always been to somehow incorporate a sense of letting go and releasing myself to the moment but that’s always been a bit of a struggle (hit or miss) as I’m a type-A, rule follower and fixer it’s very hard for me to re-program my brain (which was programmed in college to paint photo realistically and very representationally) and it’s been my ongoing challenge to figure out a balance.
From Inspiration to… …abstract piece of art!
(Interior Photo Credit: Unknown)
Finally in 2024 I had a ah-ha moment where I released myself from painting anything representational and used a photo reference as my “suggestion” just like in improv. I then ‘yes, anded’ using inspiration from the photo in colors, shapes and line work to create an abstract piece of work that gave me that same sense of spontaneous joy when I created it (just like I’ve felt on stage). Voila! I’d tried many times over the years to replicate this feeling and to come up with some kind of version of a “loose” abstracted painting but hadn’t succeeded until now.
I hope you like what you see (and if you don’t tell me it’s pretty anyway).
