Archive for the ‘Abstract and Just Plain Weird’ Category

Yellow Flower

Sunday, September 4th, 2016

Yellow Flower, abstract art by Amy Crook

Yellow Flower, 5″x5″ pen & ink and watercolor on bristol

Tiny, intricate pen-and-ink details combined with a cheerful, loose-painted yellow halo of petals make this small art the perfect thing to brighten up your space.

The middle is painted in a rusty ochre over the black ink, with the petals bursting forth like light from the solidity of the center section.

One patron described it as a Golden Snitch, with its combination of warm yellows, complex inner motifs, and airy-light outer wings.

Yellow Flower, detail, by Amy Crook

Yellow Flower, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of the middle section, tiny circles nestled together and washed over with rusty ochre. Below, you can see this piece in a frame, a burst of light out of the warm center.

Yellow Flower, framed art by Amy Crook

Yellow Flower, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
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Growth 5

Saturday, September 3rd, 2016

Growth 5, abstract art by Amy Crook

Growth 5, 5″x5″ pen & ink and watercolor on watercolor paper

It’s a celebration of purple this month! The inner circle moves from deep violet to black etched over with the sheen of purple ink. The outer edges mix the intricate circles grouped together like fish eggs with the splash of brightly-mixed ink, purple bleeding into pink.

Like all of my Growth paintings, there is a suggestion of sending parts of the central self out into the aether, of reaching into the void despite the obstacles and finding something beautiful in it.

Where in life do you need a little bit of growth?

Growth 5, detail, by Amy Crook

Growth 5, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see how the purple ink separated into almost luminous pinks, reds, and violets, but there are some little circles left intact to hint at the structures that once were. Below, the art is in a small frame, waiting to bring unexpected beauty to a neglected corner of your home.

Growth 5, framed art by Amy Crook

Growth 5, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Red Ghosts

Monday, July 4th, 2016

Red Ghosts, abstract art by Amy Crook

Red Ghosts, 6″x6″ Primatek and interference watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Happy 4th of July! Looking at this today, I wonder if I shouldn’t have named it after fireworks instead.

The mysterious red-violet depths of the background in this beautiful abstract make the perfect grounding for the ghostly shapes that float atop them.

The interference red switches from white to shining red depending on the angle of the light, throwing off little ghosts of color and letting the looming shapes behind show through.

This is one of those paintings that will catch your eye at odd moments and show you a new detail every time you look at it. Perfect for adding a touch of beauty to your space.

Red Ghosts, detail, by Amy Crook

Red Ghosts, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the beautiful interference red catching the light, as well as the gentle sparkle of genuine amethyst and garnet paint in the complex background layers. Below, the ghosts have gone white with their faces turned away from the sun in this simple frame.

Red Ghosts, framed art by Amy Crook

Red Ghosts, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Marble Pathways

Sunday, June 5th, 2016

Marble Pathways, abstract art by Amy Crook

Marble Pathways, 8″x8″ Primatek and duochrome watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

This painting reminds me of the very first Pathways painting, with its sparse lines framing the white page. The beautiful black tourmaline mineral pigment provides a pearly grey base for the sparkling paint atop it, like veins of malachite in creamy white marble.

A piece that rewards repeated viewings, this abstract contains layered detail in the subtle interactions of paint, paper, and light.

Marble Pathways, detail, by Amy Crook

Marble Pathways, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the green sparkle and hints of pearly grey beneath it as the pathways shine in the sunlight. Below, a black frame gives just the right accent to this beautiful abstract art.

Marble Pathways, framed art by Amy Crook

Marble Pathways, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Inlets

Thursday, June 2nd, 2016

Inlets, abstract map by Amy Crook

Inlets, 9″x12″ watercolor, Primatek watercolor, and pen & ink on Strathmore watercolor paper

The newest Map is a lovely warm one, reminiscent of a pirate’s treasure map that’s been tossed onto and then rescued from a fire.

Delicate walnut linework traces each little inlet and fjord. The textured paper with its blackened edges speaks of lifetimes of use, parchment worn and damaged and fingers run over the roughened surface.

It makes you wonder what treasure might lie at the heart of this map.

Inlets, detail, by Amy Crook

Inlets, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of the walnut ink tracing the ins and outs of these imaginary coastlines. Below, this larger piece is in a nice big frame, just waiting to add a dash of adventure to your life.

Inlets, framed art by Amy Crook

Inlets, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Rust

Friday, May 6th, 2016

Rust, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook

Rust, 6″x6″ Primatek and duochrome watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

A lovely paint made of real iron oxide adds a rich, rusty yellow ochre to the other natural earth tones from last month’s Storm, and the result is a painting that feels not like clouds but the encroaching entropy of some white metal left to the elements.

This abstract explores the idea of beauty in decay, and there’s just a touch of secret shine hiding in some of the darker areas that adds a hint of green. Growth as the next step in decay.

Rust, detail, by Amy Crook

Rust, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can just see the shine of green in the lower left, contrasting with the gorgeous earthy reds and ochres. Below, the painting sits in a frame, like a tiny piece of some post-apocalyptic future.

Rust, framed art by Amy Crook

Rust, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
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Pond Diptych

Wednesday, May 4th, 2016

Pond Diptych, abstract watercolors by Amy Crook

Pond Diptych, two 6″x4″ watercolor and duochrome watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Click here to get a bigger view of these two paired paintings!

Beautifully abstract, this diptych reminds me of algae blooming in a sunlit pond, mysterious clouds of green moving in the clear water.

These would be perfect for adding a splash of brilliant color to one of those awkward spaces in your home. You could hang them above a doorway to help give you reasons to look up more.

Pond Diptych, detail, by Amy Crook

Pond Diptych, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the beautiful movement and gorgeous green color up close. Below, these two paired paintings are together in frames, waiting for just the right wall or shelf.

Pond Diptych, framed art by Amy Crook

Pond Diptych, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
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