Edward Oslund
Abstract Artist/Photographer
My work creates unique abstract images that are part painting and part photography with a large measure of creative imagination.
The inspiration for my work started some twenty years ago, when I became fascination with how nature created beauty by random processes called fractal mathematics. I started by photographing watercolors moving through water. This moves too fast for focusing a camera, which lead to using corn syrup and watercolors, followed by surgical gel, gelatin, and mineral oil. Over time my methods have moved from simply allowing nature process unfold to something closer to painting in 3 dimensions.
The size I am working with is in the range from an inch or two to 5 or 6 inches. Using a pallet knife with paint on it, to create at that scale, I have limited control and the material (gelatin, gel, etc) also moves when I touch it, additionally the paint will react to the material and the results will change over time. It should be no surprising that the end result often does not resemble what I intended when I started. Much of the result comes from the fractal mathematics nature uses.
I then select part or all of the results as the subject of the work and photograph it. I use digital tools to enhance the image. I do not add things to the image with digital drawing, everything in the image is from a camera. I adjust colors, remove distractions and imperfections in the image. Sometime I replace or enhance the background to bring out the subject or the mood.
I also create compound images that mix my abstract work with more traditional photographs, such as models, building or flowers.
Ultimately, it is for the viewer to decide what to see in each image. I have found that most viewer see something different than I do, as a result I do not title the images, to avoid prejudicing the views opinion.
To view the complete portfolio click "View Portfolio" above.
