The “Tree of Life” is a new abstract, fractal based artwork by Edward M. Fielding
From the artist:
Tree of Life wide as well as the smaller square detail version came about from a winter exploration into the world of fractals (endlessly repeating patterns), chaos theory and artistic abstraction.
I work mainly with photography or photo-based composites but this new piece and others in the series are mostly digitally created. The basic fractal shape is created by manipulating mathematical functions, patterns, shapes and colors and then rendering the result or a period which can take up to 10 hours.
This provides the starting point. From here the result is analysis to see possibilities. I might crop or extract certain elements from the fractal or mirror, double or combine elements.
Then additional layers of complexity is added including textures, gradient color and even combinations of photographs from my archives. Each piece can take anywhere from eight to twenty hours to get to the point I feel its finished.
The result is a finely detailed work of art that invites the viewer to examine the detail up close. The abstract nature of the piece invites interpenetration by the view despite the title given to the piece.
Any artist working in a medium in which the end result is not clear at the beginning can related to Jackson Pollack’s description of his workflow:
“When I am in a painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. It is only after a sort of ‘get acquainted’ period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc, because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.”
The artwork in this fractal abstract series are similar. The final image is a result of small decisions, choices and directions taken by the artist through the process. The end result is not at all clear in the beginning but the artist decides when it is completed. Give and take.
“Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you. There was a reviewer a while back who wrote that my pictures didn’t have any beginning or any end. He didn’t mean it as a compliment, but it was.” – Jackson Pollack