The Japanese have a concept called ‘Shinrin-yoku’ or ‘Forest Bathing.’ It’s about simply entering the forest and embracing the scents, sounds, and sights.
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My work revolves around exploring these sensory experiences and narratives. After many years as a photographer, I have rediscovered my desire to paint, feeling that I have returned to my true self as an artist. I use my iPhone’s camera as a sketchbook to capture photographs of the colors, shapes, and patterns I encounter during my walks in nature, as well as in the suburbs and cities.
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When the world shut down in March 2020, I found myself in my basement, obsessively painting small works and taking online abstract painting workshops on Zoom. Life took a more personal turn when my sister Mary was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer during COVID. At the same time, my husband’s sister Lynda revealed her Parkinson’s disease to us. I became a part-time caregiver for both of them, and my heart broke as I watched these two wonderful people I loved disappear from our lives. During that time, I was also diagnosed with breast cancer; thankfully, it was caught very early, and I am now cancer-free. As I try to make sense of one of the most difficult times of my life, I believe my most recent work, my flower series, reflects “the language of flowers”—love, loss, grief, and remembrance. My work has evolved; it remains abstract but has also taken on a bit of an Impressionistic quality.
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In the studio, my process starts with mark-making, usually with a Stabilo crayon on a blank canvas. I take risks with this mark-making, freely drawing on the canvas and sometimes creating a contour drawing from a photograph or a still life. I then choose a harmonious color palette and begin layering colors into positive and negative shapes, blurring the lines between what is real and what is abstract. I often use spontaneous brushstrokes, allowing my brush to flow freely and intuitively, I explore themes of serenity, using shape and line to create a sense of rhythm. Overall, my work is characterized by my deep connection to nature and my desire to translate the beauty of the natural world into abstract forms. I then step back to check the composition. Through my art, I aim to bring the essence of “forest bathing” into our daily lives, providing a tranquil space where one can breathe.
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Geraldine Abdoo is a contemporary abstract artist who works in acrylics and mixed media. Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, Geraldine grew up with a love for Fine Art, Folk Art, and Photography.