Thursday, January 20, 2011

Ponderosity: From My New Series of Small Abstract Expressionist Paintings


Ponderosity - Lynda Lehmann c 2011


An artist friend recently told me that she likes my black and white paintings and I had to ponder on the appeal of black and white.  

I've always loved design and I think painting in black and white gives a very graphic allure and perhaps a stronger design/compositional sense than using color.  Using color most often makes the color the "truth" of the painting, at least for those of us whose wild color-love becomes unleashed when we dip our brushes (or other tools) into lush pigments.

This small painting on gallery-wrapped canvas measures 11 by 14 inches, and except for a few linear brush strokes applied at the end, was done with a palette knife. 

According to Dictionary.com "ponderosity" is a related form of "ponderous," an adjective which means:

1.
of great weight; heavy; massive.
2.
awkward or unwieldy: He carried a ponderous burden on hisback.
3.
dull and labored: a ponderous dissertation.

Here's wishing you an artful day.  May nothing too ponderous come your way!

Note:  I'm aware that I have a code glitch or two on my page, and I'll eventually figure out how to fix it!

All images and text on this blog are copyrighted material, and may be used only with written permission, except where syndication rights have been granted. All other rights reserved. Please visit my primary site at http://www.lyndalehmann.com/gallery if you would like to see my acrylic paintings and more of my photography and digital art. I hope you enjoyed your visit to my blog!

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19 comments:

  1. Con Artist TricksterJanuary 20, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    Hi. I found your site from retrocollage site. Your site is awesome. Your photos are really amazing.
    Well, I'll see you around then.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathy McIntoshJanuary 21, 2011 at 12:03 PM

    I think there's a depth to black and white imagery that isn't in color. Why I love b/w photography. Since I'm not a visual artist, I'll just enjoy yours, as always.

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  3. Lynda LehmannJanuary 21, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    Con Artist Trickster - I'm glad you stumbled on my site. Thanks for you visit and kind words. Yes, I'll see you on our blogs!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lynda LehmannJanuary 21, 2011 at 12:20 PM

    Kathy - I definitely see drama in black and white, somehow differently than in color. But I like them both at different times. Thanks for stopping by, Kathy!

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    LOVE "Ponderosity", Lynda-
    the work and the name are both very imaginative. Really nice textures. Janet Gioffre-Harrington

    ReplyDelete
  6. DUTAJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    I think black and white technique , both in paintings and photographs, is more simple and yet more elegant, creating a more dramatic effect than colours.
    Anyway, your abstract painting is lovely and looks like you've "pondered " on it very thoroughly.

    ReplyDelete
  7. SusannahJanuary 22, 2011 at 2:09 AM

    I love the painting, it has such a feeling of organic-ness to it (did I just make that word up!? lol) A feeling of bone and rock and I love the faces I can see in it too.

    I really liked what you say about...
    "Using color most often makes the color the "truth" of the painting, at least for those of us whose wild color-love becomes unleashed when we dip our brushes (or other tools) into lush pigments."

    I totally agree with that, very well put! I hadn't thought of it that way before.

    Great post. :-)

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  8. Lynda LehmannJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    JANET - What a nice surprise to see you here. I've missed so many of my old AW friends. Just visited your page on FAA and left a comment!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lynda LehmannJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:09 PM

    DUTA - Simple is good and often elegant, as well. I'm trying to simply my paintings, as a matter of fact. So limiting my palette is one way of approaching it. Thanks for visiting!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Janice ThomsonJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:11 PM

    I REALLY like this Lynda - like everything about it including the title. I often do black and white digital art and find my commenters love it too - it must hit a chord with us all...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lynda LehmannJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    SUSANNAH - I'm glad the painting comes across as organic, because that's how I "felt" it. Someone said it looks like tree bark, but I guess it can be a number of organic things. Thanks for coming over!

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  12. Lynda LehmannJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:44 PM

    JANICE - I think I'm going to do more of it. I think if I use a limited palette I will free myself from "color mania," so to speak!

    I like seeing the "form" and design of things; simplifying by avoiding color and texture for awhile, may lead me in new directions.

    I'll have to look for your B & W digital art on your other blogs!

    I think I was just visiting "Drinking the Moon" as you were visiting here! I love synchrony!

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownJanuary 23, 2011 at 12:13 PM

    Hi Lynda - I find this painting very interesting especially as it has so much to ponder about - LOL. Seriously - there is a lot to discover in this painting, there are figures and plants, even caves which might hide some secrets. I could go on and on. Very inspirational for me...
    I look forward to seeing more works...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lynda LehmannJanuary 23, 2011 at 1:22 PM

    PETRA - I'm returning to painting after getting a bit sidetracked by blogging and photography, and all the curves that "life" throws. So I'm glad you like the first painting from my new series of small works.

    I like that you see a lot of things in it. That's why I enjoy abstraction: for its ambiguity and mystery. Everyone can see something different and the work CALLS UPON them to do just that!

    Thanks for visiting, dear Petra!

    ReplyDelete
  15. PeterJanuary 23, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    Hi! My love for black and white first started when I was a teenager. Industry and sports photography my favourite pastime, the stark and shadowy images revealed the subjects true selves.

    Ponderosity? Well, yes and no, for as far as I could see, none were boring – yes, I'm familiar with the term, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” but the depth and character in each of them, surpassed everything I'd seen in colour.

    Just like today with your painting; all are a sight to behold.

    Take Care,
    Peter

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lynda LehmannJanuary 24, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    PETER - I didn't know you had pursued photography at any point in your life. Do you still do it? Why not post a few for us to see?

    ReplyDelete
  17. PeterJanuary 26, 2011 at 4:40 PM

    Done! Hope you like images of birds! Australian birds that is.

    Take Care,
    Peter

    ReplyDelete
  18. LeoviFebruary 17, 2011 at 4:47 PM

    Maravillosos contrastes y bellas texturas y formas, es un lenguaje abstracto parecido a una de mis últimas series, que estoy haciendo en B/N y en color, La Serie AA

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  19. Lynda LehmannFebruary 18, 2011 at 6:18 AM

    LEOVI - We seem to have a similar "eye" for abstraction! Thank you for your comments!

    ReplyDelete

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