I want to invite you to enjoy my new portfolio for 2014

To see portfolio please click on the following link:

Portfolio Yael Zahavy-Mittelman

Have great holidays

Yael

As an abstract artist, I belong to a group of artists like me, who are looking  at the world  mostly from outside the box. Even though, most of that group is formed of abstract artists, each of us looks at the world from different perspectives. The art, that we gather monthly to look at, reflect these differences. Some have more cubistic style. Others look at the word from more conceptual point of view. And some of us look and think of this world  as a place for expression, we use the lines,shapes and colors  as tools to our way of thinking looking and painting. A wise woman in the group described it once as a part of the  spiritual process.

When people say Expressionism Abstract, or Abstract Expressionism, Jackson Pollock comes to mind, with his vest canvases and expression of thoughts and feelings in endless scribble of paint lines, shapes and dots. But since my encounter with Pollocks’ paintings in school, I managed to get to know Abstract Expressionism on his different layers. I saw big work and small artwork. I saw very colorful pieces and monochromatic expression of abstracts, I experienced work that was produced using oils or acrylic, and work that was made using varies materials that formed interesting textures in fascinating layers and layers of expression. Abstract expressionism as expressed also in 3D work of art. 

In my past, I started dealing with art, while sculpting realistic figures looking at models, and fast enough, once I got the idea of the gesture of the body, and size of body parts, my brain pulled me toward taking the figures that I started forming and cutting them with a pallet knife in certain places. Once smoothed, the clay stated to look like pieces of thick branches of enchanted trees.  That was the moment when I realized that my path was going toward abstract expressionism.
My definition of abstract expressionism is any artwork that explores concepts, feelings, spirituality, thoughts, in lines, shapes, colors, surfaces,  forms a world on the canvas. A world of different elements that require most of the viewers imagination to explore into it. My husband explain it to me once as that it is like looking for images at the clouds. Each one of us have different tools to relate and understand the experiences he/she is going through. I believe that not everything needs to have a deep exploration or understanding. In my vision, art should be perceived as, do I like it or not, does it talk to me? What elements I like about the artwork. It should come from your heart, you stomach, and as far as your brain goes, the viewer might want to approach his/her imagination than looking for rational, realistic images in the art. From my artist point of view, it is all about the art process, the time in the studio, when it is only me, the canvas, the materials and the music, forming worlds of colors, big, passionate, and very poetic.

An update from my studio,

Hi every one. Just finished that artwork I have been updating you about for a while now. (See picture above.) A better image will be on my website www.yaelsart.com once I finish updating Gallery 2008. So stay tuned. Meanwhile enjoy the image. The painting is called The Goddess within Me. It is made of two canvasses of 48” x 60”.
Also read above about the event that is coming up on Oct 12. I am very excited about that.
Yours,
Yael
 

The following was what I wrote:

Dear Emma,

Thank you for your email. It is wonderful to inspire and effect young people lives. To answer your questions:

1. Getting involved in art is not a very romantic story. I took art classes as prerequisites requirements for my MA in art therapy, at the George Washington University, in
   Washington DC. It was surprising to me how fascinating and interested I was in sculpting.  That is why, when I was required to take paintings my paintings were thick, and most of them are, until this day.
2. My main techniques are whatever comes my way and to my mind – as daring as I allow myself to be. I am an experimenter. I used to use pallet knife, cardboards, my fingers. I go as wild as possible. There are no rules beyond looking and listening. I go back to look at my art while in the process of making. Almost every spot/line/color requires new observation. Take into account that my most important artwork is a large scale (120 X 120 cm/ 120 X 150, and some are even bigger. I have one piece that is 6 miters by 120 cm,) for me observation can take third off the time of the art making process.
3. Some of my inspiration comes from amazing artists like Nathan Oliveira. He live now at the San Francisco area, but used to live here at the
   Seattle area. Another artist that I admire is Jack Shadbolt, a Canadian artist who died in the 80s. But my main inspiration is my gut feeling. I do not plan what do drew, I just allow it to happen. I think in abstract terms (lines/shapes/colors.)
4. Time, as far as making a piece of artwork varies. In the past I could finish a work in three hours. The more mature I get, the more time I need for a piece. It also a challenge as far as taking care of two children and a baby as well.
5. Color is almost everything in my work. It is one of the most important components. I am fascinated by stains, and how the effect each other. It is interesting what fascinates peopleJ Colors effect their surrounding colors in relation to each other. It is a very interesting and deep world to explore.
6. Different people by definition, are different, and for that brings different worlds when observe my artwork. Every art show, different people connect to different pieces. In some cases many people will like one specific work, but each one for a different reason.
7. I mostly work with artists that do not come from the visual art field. In October, for instance, I am going to give a performance with a pianist. I am going to paint while she will play the piano on stage

I started by drawing on the walls with a pencil.

Second phase was to cover to walls and ceiling with acrylic paint and start to draw with black acrylic paint on it.

The entrance as it looked mid painting process – lots of fun for the artist.

It is Saturday, the hit is creasy, painting is almost impossible. But my daughter wanted to see my art project and her mother paints.

I cover the edges with black and brown and it does not work very well for me. I change the dark edges to blue-black paint. It works much better.

I extend that effect into the ceiling, as well as into the edges of the wall. OK, I can live with that.

The right wall is being finished as well and is extended onto the door frame.

My work is done. The gallery has a very creative fun entrance.

All needs to be done now is enjoy the Gallery opening event.

Come see when you are in the area. Gallery 309. 309 Cedar St. Seattle WA.

Anyway, the pictures you see here in an update from my studio. These are two canvases of 48″x60″ each. It is not a new technique for me. I have been using it in my painting on and off in varies ways so far. It takes me back to my childhood when I used to scribble with black ink pen on white paper. In this technique, though, I learned as an adult that when I add colors as you can see in the second picture, I have to cover all the white areas before I can start going deep into the images and consider the whole composition. So what you see in this picture is the covering of the white areas. It is only the first layers though. It will change along the way.

So enjoy.

Yael

www.yaelsart.com

I recently started a new series of combining interesting human figures to my abstract. My rule is that they have to be part of the abstract. I am not sure I am there yet or that it is working for me. So I let go and I am taking a week or two studio free time. In a little bit I will go back to my studio. Meanwhile, I am writing a novel.

Unfortunately my mind is racing and cannot let go of the images that I already formed. They keep me company even if I am not physically in my studio.