why abstraction??

WHY, one might reasonably ask, after many years of study and development, of honing the ability to make a two dimensional surface look like "something", in my case a landscape in three dimension.......WHY then would you wish to disregard that skill in favor of abstraction?? Paint, texture, color, on a two dimensional plane. There are several ways in which to answer this question. One is that when looking at the work of other painters, I found myself drawn to abstract work. The other is that after many years of exploring the landscape, I am needing something new to keep me challenged creatively. On some level, I have always used landscape as a vehicle for expressing emotion through color and light. With my abstract work, I am still using the same elements of composition, color, light, value, rhythm, texture. Just in a more direct way. And believe me,it is incredibly challenging. I'm not exactly sure where I am heading, but the journey is exciting. It is that unknown that pulls me forward.