Friedrich Zettl Fine Arts

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Contemporary ink painting for The Magic Sea, with dense blue, grey and ochre brush forms and pale streaks suggesting the sea gathering force.

And the Beat Goes On

A Selection of Recent Artworks

It is not that I have nothing to tell, or no new pictures to show. In October 2023, several projects were taking up most of my attention, leaving less time for the blog. Anyone who writes regularly will know how much work even a short, considered article can involve.

I continued working on existing series, including The Magic Sea. This image belongs to a scene I imagine in the first third of the opera, where the sea gathers its strength before tearing the land apart.

Contemporary ink painting for The Magic Sea, with dense blue, grey and ochre brush forms and pale streaks suggesting the sea gathering force.
From The Magic Sea — contemporary ink painting.

One of the difficult parts is finding a narrative that holds the individual images together. Animation may eventually help, but at this stage I wanted to concentrate on the sequence itself. The short clip below was an early experiment.

Open the Magic Sea animation on VideoPress.

I also returned to aspects of an earlier painting that might find a place in the series. Its lighter ground and sweeping red and black marks offer a different kind of movement from the denser image above.

Abstract landscape in ink, with sweeping black, white and red gestures and ochre and turquoise accents, reconsidered for The Magic Sea.
An earlier abstract ink landscape, reconsidered for the sequence.

The work was preceded by material experiments, including painting on wood and continuing my trials with paper made from elephant dung. These two studies record part of that search. I was interested in what a change of surface might do to the marks, rather than simply repeating a familiar effect.

Two material studies side by side, with turquoise and grey fields on the left and dark textured washes on the right
Two material studies — testing how a different surface changes the painted mark.

Firebird

Another painting began with Stravinsky’s The Firebird. I wanted to approach a musical subject more directly and, perhaps, with something of a child’s way of looking. That does not mean imitating children’s drawings. It means stepping back from my sometimes over-intellectual approach and allowing the first response to have more room.

Firebird, gestural abstract painting inspired by Stravinsky’s music, with sweeping red, yellow and black forms separated by open white space.
Firebird — gestural abstraction in response to Stravinsky.

The red and yellow forms gave me a starting point. Whether they carry the music, or simply suggest a movement of their own, is something I am happy to leave open.

The Magic Sea · Can We Hear a Painting? · Wabi-Sabi, Japanese Paper & the Beauty of Empty Space

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Explore Asian Art Essays for writing on Chinese painting, calligraphy, aesthetics and art history.

Available Artworks

Original works are available on FriedrichZettl.com and Saatchi Art

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36 responses to “And the Beat Goes On”

  1. Traum(A)Kinder avatar
    Traum(A)Kinder

    Lieber Friedrich, das klingt sehr gut- spielerisch, auch wenn real viel Arbeit dahinter steckt. So zu malen, dass man alles um sich herum vergisst, können Kinder besonders gut. Sie denken dabei nicht, sondern malen aus dem Bauch heraus.
    Viel Erfolg!

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Danke, liebe Marie! Den Kopf ausschalten ist beim Malen immer gut. Und von Kindern koennen wir sehr viel lernen. Ich wuensche Dir ein entspanntes, sonniges Wochenende! LG f

      Reply
  2. Myriade avatar
    Myriade

    Die Darstellung des mit Kraft aufgeladenen Wassers finde ich ganz toll !! Kompliment

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Vielen herzlichen Dank! Das freut mich sehr! Liebe Gruesse aus Wien 🙂

      Reply
      1. Myriade avatar
        Myriade

        Grüße zurück von Wien nach Wien 🙂

      2. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
        Zettl Fine Arts

        oh! 🙂

      3. Myriade avatar
        Myriade

        🙂

  3. Cindy Georgakas avatar
    Cindy Georgakas

    I appreciate your insightful posts and know the time it takes especially when embarking on a new project. Take all the time you need and best of luck. 💕

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you very much 🙏😊🌹

      Reply
      1. Cindy Georgakas avatar
        Cindy Georgakas

        Welcome always!💕

  4. The Sicilian Storyteller avatar
    The Sicilian Storyteller

    Firebird is exquisite❣️

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you very much 👍 I am glad you like it 🌹 I was not sure if anyone would like it.

      Reply
      1. The Sicilian Storyteller avatar
        The Sicilian Storyteller

        That possibility never crossed my mind!

      2. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
        Zettl Fine Arts

        You are very kind as always 🌹☀️🌻🍷

  5. Mike and Kellye Hefner avatar
    Mike and Kellye Hefner

    I love the depth of the first image, Fred. I feel as I am under the sea while viewing it – would love to see it in person. “Firebird” is fabulous!

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you very much 🙏 I am happy to hear. It took me some time to get this effect (I wrote before in a post titled New Horizons). Have a great weekend!

      Reply
  6. babsje avatar
    babsje

    I adore your Firebird concept and painting! There is, of course, the Stravinsky but also John McLaughlin’s “Birds of Fire.” Well done.

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you very much! How funny, I indeed was talking about John McLaughlin with a friend the day before I painted it. Just a coincidence. All the best☀️🙏🌻

      Reply
  7. Rosaliene Bacchus avatar
    Rosaliene Bacchus

    Thanks for the update on your “The Magic Sea” project. Your captioned painting captures well the destructive force of a tsunami.

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you again for your always encouraging words 🙏 I also think the destructive force is better now. Well, step by step…☀️🌻

      Reply
  8. Edith avatar
    Edith

    Wie ein Wellengott kommt sie daher, diese Welle und man möchte sich reinstürzen, dass man nur die Füße, in etwa wie links im Gemälde, so einfach mal von mir gesehen, sieht. Doch es könnte auch eine Welle sein, die sich an allem bricht, was ihr in den Weg kommt. Ja, hier könnte ich mich auslassen in meinen Gedanken – morgen sehe ich vielleicht noch ganz anderes.
    Strawinsky hätte seine Freude daran! Für mich wäre dieses Gemälde niemals gleichzusetzen mit einem Kinderbild. Es wirkt auf mich zu durchdacht, der Musik untergeordnet, die ein Kind sicher noch nicht durchschauen würde. Oh ja, ein sozusagen musikalisches Gemälde mit Bewegung, graziler Bewegung. *Benu* zeigt seine Deutlichkeit in der Liebe zur Sonne – fantastisch, lieber Friedrich – wie immer mir zur Freude. DANKE
    Herzlichst alles Liebe von mir zu dir.
    Edith

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Wieder einmal herzlichen Dank, liebe Edith! Ich bin immer wieder verwundert, wie exakt Du siehst. Was natuerlich mit Deiner guten Bildung zusammenhaengt.

      Ich habe tatsaechlich mit Arbeiten begonnen, die sich an allen Regeln brechen. Ein wenig sieht man das auch beim Feuervogel. Aber, wie Du richtig erkannt hast, ist er trotzdem gut durchdacht und es freut mich, dass Du das siehst.

      Mit verkühlten Gruessen zwar – aber Du hast sicher ein Antivirenprogramm. 🙂 f

      Reply
      1. Edith avatar
        Edith

        Hast du die Schale Äpfel aus meinem Garten gefunden???, Lächel… Vitamine helfen mit, alles besser werden zu lassen. Aber abends ein Gläschen Rotwein oder ein warmes Bier sind auch hilfreich…. und gute Gedanken von mir natürlich, nochmallächel…
        Also alles Gute von mir zu dir
        von Herzen, Edith

      2. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
        Zettl Fine Arts

        Vielen herzlichen Dank! Nach einer Nacht des “Fieberwahns” geht es schon wieder besser. Jetzt geht’s den Vitaminen an den Kragen 🙂

      3. Edith avatar
        Edith

        Und ja, ich kann mich in deinen Gemälden verlieren, will stets unbedingt deinen Sinn dahinter finden und meine Überlegungen dazuwerfen… Friedrich, meine Hochachtung hast du!

      4. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
        Zettl Fine Arts

        Danke vielmals! Jetzt weiss ich, dass es doch nicht grundsaetzlich verkehrt ist, etwas über meine Bilder bzw. Gedanken dahinter zu schrieben.

  9. swabby429 avatar
    swabby429

    The animation certainly makes the first image feel foreboding. Meanwhile, the brilliant firebird “speaks” to me with happy energy.

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you very much! 🙏 I am happy you can hear the Firebird “speak”. The next task is to make it sing 😀

      Reply
      1. swabby429 avatar
        swabby429

        That sounds like a good plan. 😉

  10. kevinashton avatar
    kevinashton

    Dear Friedrich,
    I often view your art and enjoyed it without leaving a comment, I guess because I don’t wish to appear dumb in the questions I ask.

    But your short animated clip compelled me to ask, how to you get get such depth, distance and sense perspective in abstract work of art?
    Best Wishes
    Kevin

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      First of all, thank you dear Kevin for your kind words! Of course, you can always ask me, and I will certainly do my best to answer your questions. However, it’s not easy to do this in a few sentences. Since I started this blog, I have repeatedly written about different aspects of my pictures. Painting-wise, but above all about the underlying philosophy. This is influenced by Daoism and Zen, as well as Chinese calligraphy. The main focus is on the play of yin and yang, i.e., the opposites. This thinking has become part of my personality.

      When I paint, I try not to think and yet I’m so focused that I’m exhausted after 2-3 hours. Some viewers think I paint very quickly because they feel the power. Well, I’m an old man, and the strength doesn’t come from speed; the strokes are made relatively slowly. The same is true with space and depth. I could create more depth if I used Western color theory. But that would be too ordinary for me because it is to be expected.
      Now I’ve said so much and probably still haven’t answered your questions satisfactorily.

      In the article series Art Theory, ( https://zettl.blog/friedrich-zettl-fine-arts/art-theory/ ) I go into more detail about the individual aspects, but I am aware that it takes time until you learn to understand certain aspects as a Westerner.

      Reply
      1. kevinashton avatar
        kevinashton

        Thank you for your most interesting reply. I will go read your article.
        Best Wishes
        Kevin

  11. Yeah, Another Blogger avatar
    Yeah, Another Blogger

    I like these works. And it’s the first time I ever cane across a mention of paper made from elephant’s dung.

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thank you very much 🙏 Paper made from Elephant dung is not very popular. And it is hard to work on. But for certain paintings it is quite useful. I just like to try all kinds of paper and hear what it has to tell 😀🌼🍸

      Reply
  12. Birendra Kumar avatar
    Birendra Kumar

    Art is good so good and excellent 👌 Thanks for sharing ✅

    Reply
    1. Zettl Fine Arts avatar
      Zettl Fine Arts

      Thanks again, you are very kind! 😍

      Reply

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