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Blurring the Line of Realism and Abstraction

Contemporary realism figurative art — Sharon Sprung, "Emergence," Oil on Panel, 36 x 40 in.

Figurative Art by Sharon Sprung, who is on the faculty of the 2nd Annual Realism Live virtual art conference, November 11-13, 2021 (with a Beginner’s Day on November 10). Visit RealismLive.com today to register for this unforgettable event!

“My paintings are a transparent, fluid experience of the subject’s world,” says Sharon Sprung. “I hope for a suspension of disbelief, for the viewer to travel into the painting and identify with the universal emotions portrayed.

“For me, the line between realism and abstraction is blurred. In a realistic work there is an automatic connection and identification with the visual, the familiar, the concretely recognizable – a world and a visual vocabulary shared, to some extent, by almost everyone.

“In abstraction – this identification is less formal. The abstract contains a sense of identified feeling, but it tends to be broader, more visceral and especially, more diffuse. It achieves this effect using shape, form, color, texture. I seek a dialog between the two, to explore and provoke a more cohesive emotional experience.

“The painting ‘Emergence’ (featured above) is an emotional response to the beginning of a young man’s life. After meeting him, I wanted to paint his story. He had moved to New York from the South, and is now in Los Angeles, all in the pursuit of his musical career – Carpe Diem.”

Study with Sharon Sprung in person at Realism Live, November 2021!