Abstraction

I have always found it difficult to understand abstract art, how do I decide if it is good, are a few splashes of paint on a canvas art? I have a framed picture on my wall of a splash of paint, there is a lovely texture to the splash and it is signed by my 3 month old son Ethan. I have always suspected that if I was to take this framed art, and present it in a certain frame work, and with the appropriate oratory geniusness of it, then it would probably become world famous as a classical piece of art.

But to be fair it is about the intention behind the art, why does someone do it, and what is it that they are trying to tell. With Ethan's art it is a memory for me, not a statement from him, he was only 3 months and needed help to hold the brush.

On television there was a show about abstract art last night and I began to realise what started this trend. When photography came along it challenged the paintings being produced that were real life. So in response the use of colour became more important in the painting, this was a way to differentiate, be better than the photograph. Then photography became colour and painting had to reinvent itself again, here is when abstract art was born. And it has had an illustrious career, challenging the notion of the foundations of art. But that is what art id, the creative spark of an individual, and this will always challenge the norm.

Here is a photo by James Welling, from his photogram series . It is called IVFY and you can find it at this link http://jameswelling.net/categories/7

So could I do this in photoshop and use a gradient, then play around with how I print it on an inkjet printer? Yes I could but it wouldn't have the story behind it.