Category: Abstract Works

A chronological listing of all of my abstract paintings and drawings. While the styles vary, the common denominator to all of these works is spontaneity with an intent to disassociate ego from the creative process.

Many of the pieces listed here are for sale so if you see something you like, please feel free to contact me at christianwwilliams (at) yahoo (dot) com

Bleed / Burn / Boast (2013)

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IMG_2154-001

Acrylic on canvas
16 x 20 inches

This piece was created specifically for an exhibit at the Watkins Museum of History in Lawrence, Kansas, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Quantrill’s Raid. Nearly 200 men and boys were murdered in the Civil War-era massacre, and a significant portion of the town was burned to the ground, but the survivors were defiant and the town quickly rose from the ashes stronger than ever. Through this piece, I tried to illustrate the violence of the event, the pride of those who live in the city today, and the necessity for us to work against the tide of time to ensure the sacrifice is remembered. The following is the artist statement that accompanied the piece: 

Ask me where I live and I will proudly proclaim, “Lawrence, Kansas!” It’s a unique pride that I haven’t felt in any of the other places I’ve lived, yet I recognize this pride isn’t unique to me. No matter whether we’ve lived here our entire lives, recently relocated from somewhere else, or only spent four years on the Hill, our shared experience of living in Lawrence involves drawing pride from common wells: a love for Jayhawks basketball, an appreciation for expression and tolerance, and a dedication to social responsibility, just to name a few.

But while it’s easy to identify the fuel for our pride, time has a way of obscuring the source of it, which took root 150 years ago in the aftermath of our city’s most tragic event. Amidst the smoldering buildings torched by Quantrill and the fresh graves of nearly 200 fathers, brothers, and sons were planted the seeds of hope for a better future. The defiance of the survivors to rebuild and their determination not just to survive, but to live, has led to everything we love about Lawrence today. We owe it to them to be proud of what this special city has become and to never forget the sacrifice that defined it. 

Saints (2013)

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Saints (2013)

Oil Pastel, charcoal on watercolor paper
24 x 18 inches

The fourth of four pieces that were created quickly within a span of a week in the summer of 2013 for a series I titled “Church of the Zero-Point Field.”

Expanding my experimentation with surrealist automatism, which I used to create my Water Works series, I started each piece by making random charcoal lines and unconsciously connecting them until enclosed areas and shapes emerged for me to color in. While they were completely unplanned, I realized when I finished that each piece represented to me an aspect of something I’m fascinated by: Einstein’s concept of the zero-point field, and the metaphysical interpretation that this quantum energy field is what connects everyone and everything in the universe, past, present, and future.

Congregation (2013)

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Congregation (2013)

Oil pastel, charcoal on watercolor paper
18 x 24 inches

The third of four pieces that were created quickly within a span of a week in the summer of 2013 for a series I titled “Church of the Zero-Point Field.”

Expanding my experimentation with surrealist automatism, which I used to create my Water Works series, I started each piece by making random charcoal lines and unconsciously connecting them until enclosed areas and shapes emerged for me to color in. While they were completely unplanned, I realized when I finished that each piece represented to me an aspect of something I’m fascinated by: Einstein’s concept of the zero-point field, and the metaphysical interpretation that this quantum energy field is what connects everyone and everything in the universe, past, present, and future.

On display in our home:
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Choir (2013)

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Choir (2013)

Chalk and charcoal on vintage canvas paper
9 x 12 inches

The second of four pieces that were created quickly within a span of a week in the summer of 2013 for a series I titled “Church of the Zero-Point Field.”

Expanding my experimentation with surrealist automatism, which I used to create my Water Works series, I started each piece by making random charcoal lines and unconsciously connecting them until enclosed areas and shapes emerged for me to color in. While they were completely unplanned, I realized when I finished that each piece represented to me an aspect of something I’m fascinated by: Einstein’s concept of the zero-point field, and the metaphysical interpretation that this quantum energy field is what connects everyone and everything in the universe, past, present, and future.

Altar (2013)

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Altar (2013)

Chalk and charcoal on watercolor paper
8 x 14 inches

The first of four pieces that were created quickly within a span of a week in the summer of 2013 for a series I titled “Church of the Zero-Point Field.”

Expanding my experimentation with surrealist automatism, which I used to create my Water Works series, I started each piece by making random charcoal lines and unconsciously connecting them until enclosed areas and shapes emerged for me to color in. While they were completely unplanned, I realized when I finished that each piece represented to me an aspect of something I’m fascinated by: Einstein’s concept of the zero-point field, and the metaphysical interpretation that this quantum energy field is what connects everyone and everything in the universe, past, present, and future.

Water Work 4 (2013)

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Number 4 (2013)

Acrylic and water on canvas
22 x 28 inches

The fourth piece in an ongoing series of paintings that I began in 2013 using water tinted with acrylic. The compositions take shape as the water moves around the canvas, which I tilt and pitch arbitrarily. I also use a high-powered hair dryer to manipulate the drips and pools that develop. These unplanned pieces were my first experiments with surrealist automatism, which is a process that I now employ in all of my work.

Water Work 3 (2013)

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Water Works Number 3

Acrylic and water on canvas
16 x 20 inches

The third piece in an ongoing series of paintings that I began in 2013 using water tinted with acrylic. The compositions take shape as the water moves around the canvas, which I tilt and pitch arbitrarily. I also use a high-powered hair dryer to manipulate the drips and pools that develop. These unplanned pieces were my first experiments with surrealist automatism, which is a process that I now employ in all of my work.

Water Work 2 (2013)

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Water Works Number 2

Acrylic and water on canvas
16 x 20 inches

The second piece in an ongoing series of paintings that I began in 2013 using water tinted with acrylic. The compositions take shape as the water moves around the canvas, which I tilt and pitch arbitrarily. I also use a high-powered hair dryer to manipulate the drips and pools that develop. These unplanned pieces were my first experiments with surrealist automatism, which is a process that I now employ in all of my work.

Water Work 1 (2013)

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Water Works Number 1

Acrylic and water on canvas
16 x 20 inches

The first piece in an ongoing series of paintings that I began in 2013 using water tinted with acrylic. The compositions take shape as the water moves around the canvas, which I tilt and pitch arbitrarily. I also use a high-powered hair dryer to manipulate the drips and pools that develop. These unplanned pieces were my first experiments with surrealist automatism, which is a process that I now employ in all of my work.