As a viewer, abstraction appeals to me because of the authority it gives me to determine what I’m seeing and what it brings to mind and heart. Abstract expressionism can be defined in many ways, but most simply, “abstract” visual art doesn’t represent any single set of physical objects, and “expressionist” painting uses color, form, texture, and their juxtaposition (composition) to evoke conscious or not-quite-conscious feelings in the viewer. The work is what it is – not a mountain, vase, or person – but for me, it can be at least as powerful as painted images of such objects.
The viewer