Why Abstract Art? It just looks like a bunch of mess! A three year old could do it!
Sure. That's true. And that's actually kind of the joy of it.
I studied art at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, specifically Media Art and Animation. I spent hours trying to perfectly draw a crumpled up paper bag with colored pencils. I labored over still lifes and figure drawings, trying to exactly recreate the weight, color, light, shadow, and essence of the subject with exact execution. Having gone through this, I truly appreciate the time, effort, and skill it takes to make a perfect piece of representational art. However, I feel that if you want a perfect, exact, realistic scence, why not just take a photo?
I find true joy in the abstract. Instead of making art that depicts a still of a single moment in time, you can create a living feeling. For one, you can freely use colors that tend to be sparse in nature. Instead of sweating over details, you can relax and let your body move freely to paint from the heart. I like to hold the paintbrush like a magic wand to ensure the movement is as loose and free as possible. In this act, the art become a joy of creation, energizing and therapeutic at the same time.
To observe a piece of abstract art is a playground for the mind. Each person may see something different, as the brain loves to try to make sense and categorize it as somthing familiar. In doing this, your brain gets to stretch and think in different ways than usual, which surprisingly enough can help solve problems. I read an anecdotal story of scientists that kept abstract art in their lobby. Then, whenever they would get stuck on a problem, they'd relax and stretch their mind with some abstract art to be able to think in a different pattern, hopefully coming to a solution.
Each person may have a different interpretation of the same piece of abstract art, and the best part is - they're all right! I can tell you how I felt when I created it, and the feeling it gives me, but ultimately we're all unique and will percieve it differently. Because of this, a single piece of art can have limitless meanings and will continue to feel new and fresh as each person grasps it.
What about the arguement that anyone can do it? It's true - and they should! You'll find that it's actually not as easy as you think. The art of letting go, knowing the colors, trusting your instinct, and tweaking your composition take just as much practice as the technical drawing of the crumpled paper bag. I still use the skills I've learned from that to try to convey the feeling of weight, light, shadow, and dimension even in something that is ultimately just a blob of colors. Some people have a natural talent for this, so I would encourage everyone to try! If nothing else, it's so much fun to make a mess ❤️