Who decided reindeer only belong to Christmas?

Not Necessarily Christmas is a playful original abstract artwork celebrating colour, imagination and the unexpected things that appear when you let your creativity wander.

I love creating abstract art, although it can also be one of the most frustrating ways to paint. You begin without a clear destination, make a few marks, add some colour and hope that eventually something starts speaking to you.

This painting began with blobs of cool colours, followed by fluorescent orange and pink stencilled over the top. Then came the part where I stopped painting and started staring.

I propped the artwork up against my television, sat back and looked at it from different angles. I turned it around and around, trying to work out what I could see amongst the colours and shapes.

Eventually, I kept noticing a girl appearing along one side. Then my painting buddy Cindy mentioned that she could see a reindeer.

Once she'd pointed it out, I couldn't unsee it!

The blue and green shapes became the girl, I extended the blue to bring the reindeer to life, and finished everything off with lots of playful marks using Posca pens.

I love how two people can look at exactly the same abstract painting and see completely different things. Sometimes all it takes is someone else's imagination to help you discover something wonderful.

And while reindeer might make most people think of Christmas, this colourful little pair aren't interested in being packed away with the decorations in January.

Not Necessarily Christmas is a reminder to celebrate the now, embrace a little whimsy and enjoy the unexpected.

Details

Original mixed media abstract artwork by Australian artist Jade Forder of Creative Abyss.

Acrylic paint, stencilling and Posca pens on watercolour paper.

40.5 × 29.5cm.

Unframed.