What Is It That Inspires Me To Paint Contemporary Abstract Paintings? - By: Anna Meenaghan

Well I don't really think that there is a clear cut answer to this one. If anything, I would say that I go where the mood takes me. In actual fact, I do not always think about what is about to take place. When I decide to paint, once I begin to put paint on the canvas or paper, something happens at that time.

It is like something takes hold of me. It is like a sort of compulsion, and more often than not, I just really like to keep painting until it is completed, or more or less finished. I do not want to break off part way through, or the finished result would not be the same.

Time and again I am not really sure what it is actually going to be, until I have completed it. This is truly how most of my abstract paintings are evolved. I think that most of the time I take in, drink up if you like, snippets of everyday life, all he time without realising it.

This occurs when I do what I would call my 'mooning around' trips! These I do quite frequently I find. I take myself out wandering around shops, simply to mull over a few ideas in my brain. However, I don't go home and paint what I have seen, but I am sometimes drawn to, for instance, a certain figure or shape.

Consequently, at a later date, probably weeks later, I paint something which I realise in all probability stemmed from this. So there it is staring back at me, my contemporary abstract painting.

Not all of my paintings are achieved in this manner though. At other times I do have very definite ideas in my mind and even though I start to paint focused on a certain idea, I still come across myself diversifying the canvas art into something altogether different. I have to say that sometimes this is mystifying even to me, the artist.

Colours have a great effect on me, even though I am, in fact, colour blind. I simply adore the very bright, strong, vivid and vital colours which create intense warmth and go to cheer up our lives. Although I genuinely love the delicate hues that pastels bring about which can also be used in contrast to, and also to produce a degree of fragility.

I have to admit as well to a rather vivid imagination and I am sure that my dreams in colour certainly play their part in influencing me at times. Added to the fact that I live near the beach and mountains, providing me with plenty of inspiration every day. What more could I ask for?

Well I don't really think that there is a clear cut answer to this one. If anything, I would say that I go where the mood takes me. In actual fact, I do not always think about what is about to take place. When I decide to paint, once I begin to put paint on the canvas or paper, something happens at that time.

Anna Meenaghan is a contemporary artist who has been involved in the arts all her life. As a contemporary painter she is well positioned to give advice on most art subjects and enjoys passing on her experience in the form of tips to all art newbies and art enthusiasts.