de Kooning

I’m reading a book called, “Elaine and Bill, the Lives of Willem and Elaine de Kooning”.  Abstract Expressionists of the 1930s and forward. Immensely enjoyable for me. Here were the lives of committed Artists living on the lower west side of Manhattan, working on their art, living in their studio, barely scraping together the $35 a month for their rent. Living off a hot plate and the kindness of dinner invitations from their friends, doing odd jobs to buy supplies, meager food. Meeting in cafeterias, at parties with other up and coming artists, poets, playwrights. Committed to the process of their craft whether or not it would be saleable or not.

 

What I like about de Kooning’s work is the raw style of building layers and layers of paint and charcoal drawing. Rubbing out and reworking pieces until they bled some type of resonating result, agreeable to the artist’s vision of creation. The canvases show remnants of both the multiple drawings and multiple layers of color. The intellect of the artist with all its desire, turbulence and changing vision was captured in these paintings. They were completed only after much conflict and emotion with the medium, their muses and the method.

 

For myself, the process of painting is much more interesting than the product.  I like that the relationship is challenging, exciting, accidental, inspired, frustrating …. and during the building of some pieces….. totally incredible. Here are some of Bill and Elaine’s pieces.

 

 

 

What is your creative, or accomplishment/spiritual/relationship/etc. PROCESS all about?  

How do you arrive at an agreeable place from your ‘blank canvas’ or conflicted space?

What is it about your process that you find most beneficial?

Best Wishes, Whisel*