From my sketchbook. I like a balance between abstraction and figurativity. I'm not a fan of Abstract Expressionism at all because of its extreme arbitrariness. I do like geometric-based abstraction that veers towards OpArt. In most arts, when we talk about value, I think there are two general poles of evaluation: vision and technical skill. Movements like hyperrealism value the latter over the former. I tend to value the former over the latter. For instance, Henri Rousseau was often considered a "naive" artist because his technical skill was somewhat underdeveloped. However, the quality of his vision was very powerful and remains impactful. I tend to be somewhat critical of the popularity of hyperrealism because of its overdependence on technical skill. However, some of its representatives, such as the work of Richard Estes, combines a powerful vision with advanced technical skill, culminating in masterpieces. My technical skill is low, but I think I have better-than-average artistic vision.
