Exploring Abstraction and Color with Mark Mehaffey

by Bob Bahr

Mark Mehaffey says his art isn’t like most other people’s work here at SKB’s Dubois workshop. While everyone has a unique take on art, Mehaffey’s does stand out a bit because of his interest in abstraction and in color that goes beyond the local color in a scene. But the Michigan painter is walking the same path as more traditional painters—he just sees things differently and, more importantly, he paints what he feels.

“As I age, my limits about what I consider to be art are getting broader, not more narrow,” Mehaffey says. “I’ve come to appreciate the efforts of what people are trying to do in the universal language we all share as artists. But whether your work is representational or non-objective, the elements and principles of design stay the same. They are pretty concrete. The tools, and the use of those tools, are the same, whether you paint wildlife, a representational landscape, or non-objective art. So it’s not a huge leap to manipulate shapes, find a focal point, and use color to reinforce the focal point, whether it’s a landscape or an abstract. And being able to go back and forth is beneficial.”

Mehaffey’s ability to do both kinds of art opens up many venues for his work. His abstract pieces suggest representation. You often “see” something in his abstracts. Or at least I do. “Good for you!” says Mehaffey. “You get to interpret any art. Some people like my work, others don’t. But I just make the best painting I can and let other people worry about how good it is.”

Yesterday, at EA Ranch, Mehaffey set up and painted a typically Mehaffeyesque piece—and he noticed, looking around him, that everyone was painting much more representationally. “I saw that people were painting the local color—the color they saw in the landscape—and that they had a nice ability to get atmospheric perspective. And their work didn’t look like mine. I saw seven to nine shapes, and I pushed the color. I took the color that I saw and pushed it and tried to implement that into a whole, into a good painting. Pushing color is pushing toward the abstract. But mostly, what I think about and the way I feel shows up in my work. The love I feel about this landscape is in my paintings.”

Mehaffey has been an art instructor for decades, but he still paints outdoors to learn more. “Most of the time I am a studio painter, maybe 80% of the time,” he says. “I paint en plein air once a week, usually Wednesday mornings, because I think that making a good painting on the spot is problem solving. And I can bring that process back into the studio. That little bit of plein air enhances everything I do. Just like what I do in the studio benefits the plein air.”

Not everyone wants to paint like him. His is a personal vision, with universal truths in it that can benefit anyone. But one would be hard pressed to paint like Mehaffey. It belongs to him. The artist has a thick skin. He’s not offended if his approach doesn’t resonate with everyone. “I’m going to do what I’m going to do,” says Mehaffey. “I don’t care if people like it. Now, it’s hard when somebody’s opinion you really respect doesn’t like your work. But you can stick to your guns or change your art. I have a tendency to stick to my guns.”

Painting is a personal activity. We go inside ourselves to find what we want to say. It can be isolating, and Mehaffey says he thinks that’s why SKB is such a success—artists who are usually alone with their ideas are able to be with others of like mind for a while. “Painting by its definition is kind of a selfish activity because to be good you have to go within,” says Mehaffey. “And once there, you have self exploration, self evaluation… all doubts must be dealt with. It is a lonesome activity that kind of drives some people crazy. Hence, one of the reasons SKB is so great and so positive. The real reason artists come is not to learn, but to be with their tribe.”

And for Mehaffey, it is a chance to be with other painters who want to paint what they feel.Ω