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Each time I visit with Andrea Beech at her studio in Havelock
North in New Zealand's Hawkes Bay region I am left wanting more; more of her
art for my collection, that is! Andrea paints abstract art with such
talent and inspiration that it demands that you enjoy its constant presence
in your life.
 Many
people new to the enjoyment of art feel challenged by abstract art and
express a dislike for it because they don't understand it. They are
used to realistic and figurative art, art that has a narrative quality, art
that has an illustrative quality, art that tells you directly and without
any guessing what its subject matter is. Abstract art, on the other
hand, is not so straight forward, and it doesn't care to be. Abstract
art is "representational" rather than illustrative. Abstract art is a
reflection of the spiritual realities behind what we experience in the
world; it exists to elicit some kind of emotional response from the viewer
by the harmonious (and sometimes, not so harmonious) arrangement of color
and shape. Abstract art is Plato's "forms" brought to the here and
now, but rather than shadows of reality being reflected on a cave wall, it
is a shadow of reality reflected on a canvas. Abstract art is like the
symphony is to the world of music. The symphony has no words, but
rather gathers its force and power from it harmonious bringing together of
sounds from a multitude of instruments. If you let yourself listen to
the music of the symphony with your imagination rather than just your ears,
you find that the music conjures up all kinds of images in your mind's eye.
Just as we need to learn to sit back and let the music of the symphony wash
over us and evoke in us an emotional response, so too with abstract art.
You don't need to understand or interpret it; you need to learn to let it
work its magic on you and your imagination, to let its arrangement of color
and form wash over you, to feel it. We have to learn how to respond to
abstract art with our emotions, and we get the most from it when we learn to
"let go" and let the power of its color and shape move us.
 As
for Andrea's abstract art, I know I like it, and I know it has a powerful
emotional and spiritual effect on me. I experience a tremendously
positive emotional response to her art. I know it's the kind of art that, if
you live in its presence, will exert a wonderful calming influence on your
life. It is art with a magnificent spiritual quality and power to it.
It is with great pleasure then that I am able to bring to
you ten new abstract artworks by
Andrea Beech. |
