The Melding of Two Distinct Styles
By Linda Schroeter b. Australia
Working together with another accomplished artist really piqued my interest. Sargam, a German born Abstract artist who’s strong body of work and work ethics I admire, was quick to agree and we both were excited to begin to explore the possibilities of what this body of work would look like infusing two distinct styles, abstract and realism.
Approaching this collaboration with the intention to have no external motivation beginning with Sargam working on a blank canvas through pattern, texture, color and line she created a strong abstract then handed it over to me to decipher. This was challenging for me to take her work and connect emotionally with her intention, to find the narrative within her brush strokes and textures to meld with my realistic approach to painting objects, utilizing light manipulation through paint layers, and pushing form and elements to create the sense of three-dimensional space.
Our intent is to connect emotionally and intellectually with the viewer through the language of imagery and metaphor, to awaken a reflective dialogue exploring our impact on nature. with the objective of melding both artist’s style of brush work to create a work with significant narrative or theme element.
Artist statement: Sargam Griffin b. Germany
It’s a real collaboration of two experienced artists. Since I am the abstract artist, I get to start working on a blank canvas. My starting point has to be strong, the inspiration has to be clear. Once the initial colors and texture is visible, the painting starts to “speak”. Layers upon layers. Thin, rough, spacious, full of feeling …. The painting doesn’t feel completed when I let it go. Linda has permission to do anything with it, including sanding it down or painting over any part of it. I let go . We work in our own studios and do not communicate during our own creative process. I get to see the piece once Linda is done. And I am SO surprised.
This collaboration truly adds another dimension to the work. It has a life of its own."
“You can tell just how unique each artist’s brushwork and personality is and that makes this experiment between our creative worlds even more special.”
