Green as a Theme

It is interesting how we are influenced, even in non-representational abstract art, by the events going on around us.  With the effects of global warming and impending devastation to our planet, thinking "green" has been swirling around my unconsious as well as my conscious thoughts.

I don't usually choose colors for their symbolic or thematic impact, yet the intensity and quantity of  green in some of my paintings lately seems to me to be significant.  Of course green had many connotations of life, vegetation, and the "natural" world long before the green political movement began.  Green has always been prominent in my work.  Perhaps now I am simply more consciously aware of its significance. 

Three green paintings currently on my art website are Green Is Good, The Importance of Being Green, and Seeing You This Way:

A green-themed painting I just finished is "Green Here and There: "

In the first three paintings, green overwhelms the canvas.  In the last, its effect is more subtle, but still dominates. 

Noticing what I've done with green makes me want to explore this theme further.  We'll see.  I don't usually start with a plan of action. 

 

Comments

[Cheryl McClure]

Funny.....I like green.A few years ago I discovered a lot of artists done't and don't like to use it in their paintings. It is a hard color to use in a naturalistic sense I suppose. That isn't as important to me as an abstract artist.
It seems like sometimes that we artists just pick up on whatever is floating around out in the "ether" or someting and do some things around the same time.

If you go back a ways on my blog you will see a couple of really "green" paintings.

[Lynne Taetzsch]

Cheryl, I like your green panels! I love the blue ones, too. I guess that "greenness" was floating around, as you said.

Lynne

[Lesly Finn]

Hi Lynne

I don't much like green ... probably because my school uniform was a horrible sludge green!

And I found it difficult to use in paintings when I started out. Now that I am into more abstract arrangements I find that green appears more frequently all of its own accord!

I very much like your painting The Importance of Being Green, and I am particularly taken with Green Here and There. The contrast with the reds and mauve is stunning.

[Lynne Taetzsch]

Hi Lesly,

I used to hate green also, because my mother always said I looked good in it and bought me green clothes. It's nice that we can get past those associations and enjoy the beauty of green.

[alan ebnother]

After painting green paintings for over 22 years, yes I do agree. GREEN IS GOOD.
Keep going...