Abstract Art and the Act of Letting Go
You don’t just paint an abstract. You let it paint you.
That’s one of the quieter revelations tucked inside Joel Smith’s book Some Observations and Opinions. Known more for his philosophical tangents and political musings, Smith also writes as a lifelong painter who found solace in abstract art, not for prestige, but for something far more personal: freedom.
Abstract painting, he suggests, isn’t about technique or control. It’s about release. It’s about losing the need to represent something literal and instead letting shapes, colors, and textures carry a truth that words can’t touch. Smith doesn’t teach you how to paint, he shows you how painting teaches him.
The creative process, for him, is a dance with uncertainty. The brush moves, and something moves in the mind with it. There are no outlines, no plans. And that, perhaps, is the point: to unlearn, to undo, to discover.
If you're an artist, a writer, or simply someone trying to make sense of life’s messier moments, Smith’s reflections on abstract art will speak to the part of you that craves expression over explanation.
This isn’t art theory. This is art as a mirror, and Smith invites you to look.
Joel Smith
Joel is a debut novelist with a passion for storytelling and character development. His work explores themes of human connection, resilience, and the power of stories to transform lives.
