FOCUS ON THE BRAVERY
“Untitled Experimental Abstracts”, 10”x 10” each, pencil, acrylic and collage on canvas © 2020 David Limrite
“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”
Malcolm Gladwell, Author, “Outliers - The Story of Success”
Focus On The Bravery
In the last three months, we have seen many extraordinary acts of bravery, as the world battles the Corona Virus. We have witnessed incredible examples of bravery by doctors and nurses in hospitals, nursing home caregivers, the people who were infected by the virus and unfortunately passed away, and by the people who were infected and who fought it and survived.
In the midst of this unfortunate pandemic, although it has taken me awhile to come around to this, I have decided to focus on this bravery. And be inspired by it.
I have tried to transfer that inspiration and bravery in to my art-making.
I decided not to stick with what was safe and comfortable. I ventured forth into the terrifying world of abstract painting. (See above photo). Painting abstractly might not seem so scary to you, but when you consider that I have been working with nothing but the figure for 30 plus years, I hope you can understand my fear.
When I began experimenting with abstraction, I quickly realized that I did not have a recognizable subject matter anymore. I thought I needed a subject in order to feel comfortable to proceed. I am continuing to create some figurative work, as it is my comfort zone.
Again, being inspired by all of the brave souls out there, I also realized it was not about being comfortable at all. Quite the opposite. In order for me to venture into abstract painting, I had to embrace the fear of the unknown. I had to begin before I was ready and learn as I go. And be scared. And be uncomfortable. And create anyway.
After much trial and error, I realized that my new subject matter was color, value, texture, marks, brush strokes, and the juxtapositions and relationships of all of those things as they come together and coexist on the same surface.
And, even better, I realized that these are the same elements that I use in my figurative pieces. I just never really thought about it because I was so focused on the figure.
I can’t wait to get back to some serious figurative work with this new mindset. But for now, there is something empowering about working abstractly.
Embrace bravery. Be inspired by what is going on all around us. Every day. All over the world.
And, while I mourn the loss of so many people because of this hideous virus, I am thankful that I was able to be inspired by their bravery.
A huge thank you to all the amazing people out there for being so brave and for being brilliant at what they do.
And for inspiring the rest of us.
Best,
David