Posts Tagged ‘formations’

Debris Field

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026

Debris Field, an abstract art of a zen circle like red round with some of the brush strokes outlined in gold

Debris Field, 7″x5″ watercolor on paper

This abstract watercolor painting is loosely part of a series I’m calling Formations, although it doesn’t follow the naming convention.

The red and metallic gold seem like they’d make a striking contrast, but it’s only when the light hits that you really see the outlined field of brush-strewn droplets as separate and discrete. I have my own absolutely dorky interpretation of this art, but you’re free to see whatever it is that makes you happy in the shapes.

a detail photo of Debris Field, taken at an angle so the gold catches the light

Debris Field, detail, watercolor by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Series and Books
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Negative Space 2

Thursday, December 7th, 2017

Negative Space 2, abstract art by Amy Crook

Negative Space 2, 8″x8″ watercolor on Arches cover buff paper

This painting is a love letter to imperfection, uniqueness, and letting those differences shine.

Each detail is exquisitely small, the silver paint filling in the spaces where the zen circle had voids, shining out of what had been nothingness and drawing you in.

It’s like two-dimensional kintsugi, taking what was a flaw and making it the most strikingly beautiful part of the final object.

It would be perfect to meditate on, or to serve as a reminder that where some see flaws, others see beauty.

Where would it fit in your life?

Negative Space 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Negative Space 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the softness of the paper, the subtlety of the mineral color and the bright shine of silver in the places left behind. Below, the art is in a frame, just waiting to add some beauty and zen to your day.

Negative Space 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Negative Space 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
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Formations 3

Wednesday, September 6th, 2017

Formations 3, abstract art by Amy Crook

Formations 3, 5″x5″ Copic ink and watercolor on watercolor paper

Only 3 pieces into the Formations series, and already it has broken away from the subdued dichromatic palette of the first two.

A motley of subtle colors play together in this rocky planetoid, and two different sets of formations are highlighted, in interference red and blue, colors that only reveal themselves in certain lights.

This map is filled with mysteries!

Formations 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Formations 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the winding red ways, the hints of shimmering blue, and the strange bloom of green on the surface. Below, this tiny planetoid is in a frame, waiting to bring its mysteries to you.

Formations 3, framed art by Amy Crook

Formations 3, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Formations 2

Thursday, August 3rd, 2017

Formations 2, abstract art by Amy Crook

Formations 2, 6″x4″ Primatek and metallic watercolor on Arches cover buff paper

Unlike the peaceful blue and pale gold of the first Formations, this one has a lovely earthy red made from Minnesota pipestone, and a rich red-gold to match. The paper itself is a warm buff color that adds a third dimension to a very simple palette.

The complex shapes are reminiscent of riverbeds, borders, and other such phenomena both natural and manmade. This one makes me think of a map of some science fictional Mars, where life has found a way to exist even there.

Formations 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Formations 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the glint of gold shining against the paper and paint, bright in the afternoon sun. Below, the painting is tilted toward shadow in its frame, mysterious and distant as another planet.

Formations 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Formations 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Formations

Thursday, June 8th, 2017

Formations, abstract art by Amy Crook

Formations, 7″x5″ Primatek and metallic watercolor on Arches Cover buff paper

This newest installation of the Map series is inspired by the amazing images we’ve been seeing in the past few years of Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter.

A wobbly blue planet has its mysterious formations outlined in a warm silver that complements the creamy buff paper that makes the space around it. Everything about this painting is muted and soft, inviting the viewer to appreciate the fine details.

What would you name these mysterious geological formations?

Formations, detail, by Amy Crook

Formations, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sun glinting off the metallic formations, the silver tone as warm as the paper. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, posing for your perusal before it heads off to its new home.

Formations, framed art by Amy Crook

Formations, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Dream Well

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017

Dream Well, abstract art by Amy Crook

Dream Well, 5″x5″ watercolor and brush pen on Arches Cover buff paper

May is here! I hope you had a good April, the cats and I missed seeing you terribly while I was convalescing.

Dusky lavender swirls like liquid, bounded by broken lines like a dream of an object, soft and subtle and strange.

Dip into the dream well and see what you pull up from its depths. The shallowness is only an illusion; the well of dreams goes down forever, full of endless possibilities and impossible futures.

This lovely mixed media piece is quite small at only five inches square, the soft buff of the paper making it perfect to warm up a space that needs a little imagination.

Dream Well, detail, by Amy Crook

Dream Well, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the stuttering strokes of pen filling in the borders where the brush stuttered first, making waves in the soft, warm violet well. Below, this tiny artwork is resting peacefully in a frame, perfect for a small meditation nook, or even just your desk at work.

Dream Well, framed art by Amy Crook

Dream Well, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
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