Angie Durbin Art Gallery & Design

Abstract art is a way of connecting the subconscious to the conscious, and for me this process is paramount in staying aligned and balanced. It's also really fun!

My particular style is very calligraphic and rhythmic; inspired equally by letterforms, music, surroundings, and the energy of people. The paintings are never planned or thought out ahead of time, I use instincts to throw down each mark and gesture with split-second decisions so that I don’t lose the flow. The quick decisions of where each mark gets thrown are based off of where the last mark landed.

As a professional multidisciplinary designer for decades, there are underlying design principles of hierarchy, form, contrast, and rhythm integrated into the compositions. Long before I was a designer I was a calligrapher, which I first learned from my mom when I was in high school. As a kid I made art constantly and it was always my refuge. Basically all of these life experiences have melded together and evolved into my abstract style.

Over the years I’ve developed and recorded hundreds of unusual methods of making abstract marks which are designed to switch our brains away from automatic patterns. We’re often not aware of it, but these automatic patterns that we all have can limit and hold us back from evolving our art style.

Integrating these methods and working quickly allows my subconscious takes over and very often I’ll come back to a finished painting to find an image, symbol, or even a color reference to something that has happened in my life even though I wasn’t consciously thinking of it or trying to capture it. I believe it’s similar to dreaming, where your unconscious mind has a chance to freely process your experiences and emotions, then present them to you in very unexpected ways. I call this painting method “subconscious abstraction” and love sharing these techniques in my demonstrations and workshops.

If you are interested in developing your own unique abstract style, upcoming classes and events are listed here!

Selected works are available as prints and on a variety of products from Fine Art America.

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