Finding Freedom in Abstract Art

The Rhythm of Creation

abstract artist, abstract painter, jazz singer barbara rosene

Introduction

Barbara’s creative process is very deeply intertwined with music. While she now primarily focuses on abstract art and abstract landscapes, she approaches her paintings with the same fluidity and improvisation that she brings to jazz. “I paint wet on wet, and I like the muted tones and softness that that produces,” she explains. ” Also, I paint to music—so that informs how the paintings emerge, and I often name the painting from a line in a song or from the piece I’ve been listening to.”

This organic process is similar to the spontaneity of jazz, where each note and phrase is shaped in the moment. Whether she’s on stage or in front of a canvas, Barbara embraces the rhythm and emotion of her surroundings to create something truly unique.

Artistic Origins:

Vicki: “Can you share a story of what drew you to your chosen medium and how your artistic journey began?”

Barbara: My mother was an amazing artist. We always did art projects when I was a child, and she had studied at The Cleveland Art Institute. So it was very accepted in the household that I would do something in the arts. And my high school experience was a good one. I really fell into, and then obsessed over water color.

Pivotal Moments:

Vicki: “Is there a pivotal moment or experience in your life that influenced your art?”

Barbara: I’ve had several “moments”.

One was in high school when the school actually bought the work of a few senior art students at the end of our senior year. It was one of my larger watercolors, and it hung in the principal’s office for years. And it began the notion that I could make money doing this.

Another was taking the time for myself to paint when my children were young, and making it a huge priority in my life- then having my first show with a series of primitives depicting country life in historic rural Ohio.

The third moment was after my mom died and I attended an artist’s residency in France for two weeks. Two of the other artists were women abstractists. I wanted to do that! They shared their processes and wisdom with me and I began to do color field abstracts ( an homage to Helen Frankenthal) for a time, and then abstract landscapes.

Other pivotal times involve being accepted at my Japanese gallery, and doing a few shows there, and my NYC gallery through which I have done Art Basel several times.

These all have to do with monetizing my art and having it be valued.

Oh, I also have three of my paintings in a jazz club in New York, where I have sung over the years, and that is huge for me. Having my two disciplines intersect is heavenly.

Creative Process:

Vicki: “Could you walk us through your creative process? How do you transform an initial idea into a finished piece?”

Barbara: Right now, I am working in abstract landscapes, primarily. I work from photos sometimes. But the bigger excitement for me is that I now work on raw canvas, which is porous, and I use acrylic paint in a very watercolor-like way. So, in a way, I have gone back to my roots of watercolor painting. I paint wet on wet, and I like the muted tones and softness that that produces. I tend to like more subtle approaches to art and in music, where I also have a career. I feel like we’ve all seen the “jazz hands”, the big note, the huge work, and maybe the most avant-garde thing to do now is to be a bit chill and bring the audience to you quietly. Also, I paint to music, so that informs how the paintings emerge, and I often name the painting from a line in a song or from the piece I’ve been listening to.

Meaningful Creations:

Vicki: “Is there a piece you’ve created that is particularly meaningful to you? What’s the story behind it?”

Barbara: “The Light Will Prevail” is a piece I did when the Ukraine war first started. I feel like the light amidst darkness is a theme for our time, and is ever more present. Letting your individual light shine in a world of Overstatements and fraud is beautifully subversive.

Abstract landscape for Ukraine by Barbara Rosene

Future Aspirations:

Vicki: “Looking forward, what are your aspirations or dreams for your future as an artist?

Barbara: I look forward to more international shows. I am beginning talks with a gallery in Tbilisi, Georgia, and I hope to do a show there. I would also like to work on an outside mural and am trying to find a place for that.

I love doing commissions and painting what people want. Pets, homes, abstracts that match their sofas—I’m fine with all of that. I like meeting my collectors.