Figurative or Abstract Art?

I hope to hear your opinion about the your choice in art. Are you more drawn to abstract ( really a misnomer, because most of the art I see labeled as such is really non-objective) or figurative images?

I have been participating in a Face Book challenge to post 3 images a day for 5 days. The "abstract"art received many likes and comments and the figurative, almost nothing; yet in our recent gallery show, more of my figurative works sold than the abstract. It is curious. It won't influence my moving back and forth from each style. Beautiful figurative art stops me in my tracks and I also enjoy an abstract that has meaning; a message for me.

Here are some images of paintings that span many years; some recent and some old. All are either entirely encaustic or encaustic and oil.

More unfinished portraits in encaustic, oil and lots of scraping

I am working on several paintings at once. Hopefully, that will keep from getting picking and overworking. These are all still in progress. It is an interesting journey. These painting will be finished when they are finished. I don't know when.

I find that photographing the progress everyday helps to see what is working and what isn't.

The figure is painted in oil, encaustic over oil stained board and more oil on top.

oil and encaustic

all encaustic painting, after scraping almost everything I had done before.

Another reworked painting. All encaustic

Encaustic over an old encaustic painting. Lots of scraping through the many layers

Clear medium with stencil over the face. It will clear some more when it is cool.

  I have been suffering from compressed vertebrae in my neck and resulting nerve pain. When the pain was less, I worked on this piece. I am not sure about it. It may be over worked. What do you think?

I am going to the States for 2 weeks for a grandson's high school graduation. A change of scene and some healing Lomi Lomi from my son-in-law will be welcome.

Sold out of the studio!

Arms Wide Open, encaustic on board, 24" x 24"

Arms Wide Open With Love, 24" x 40"encaustic on board

The gallery director for my new show is coming this afternoon to photograph my new series. This morning, I had a studio visit and already sold these two.  That is a good omen.

Invitation to my home gallery

I invite you to visit my home/gallery/studio to experience and on-going exhibit and sale of encaustic paintings. After 45 years of painting with almost every other medium, I have worked exclusively in encaustic for the last 12 years, and taught this hot wax, resin, pigment, technique to hundreds of other artists, and non-artists, in the 6 years I have been giving workshops in San Miguel.

My work is in collections in Mexico, U.S and Europe and some samples can be seen on my website: www.ezshwan.com

Please contact me for an appointment and directions.

O.K. Now I really am finished - I think??

Not knowing when to leave a painting alone, I made some "adjustments" on this one. NO more! I will forget how much work and encaustic went into this in several weeks. Time to go back to abstracts.

These are just the flesh tone paint.