Influenced by years trekking the hills of Northern California in order to paint its eye-dazzling beauty, my studio abstracts still reflect my fascination with color.

I often approach an abstract painting by first laying out a spacious expanse of one color, then adding or subtracting further colors intuitively, composing with relationships between color and shape. Experimenting with poured paint to differentiate areas, I allow the paint to define outcomes, accessing hidden levels of consciousness to hopefully sidestep my habitual preferences and intentions. These poured shapes have enlarged my vocabulary of expressive forms and have freed me from my tendency to judge my results too harshly.

I may add lines to emphasize the energetic direction or mood of the composition. These lines can become too aggressive, intruding upon the stillness of meditative spaces and require effort to keep them in check. Settling on a satisfying “construction” may take one or two sessions, or more frequently, one or two months visiting my studio. The physicality and constant challenge of abstract composition keep the work alive for me. The outcome is always a surprise.

Linda Larsen