Abstract More Art
Beginning in the early 20th century, abstract art became a leading style of modernism. Rather than portray the world in a way that represented reality, as had been the dominating style of Western art in the previous centuries, abstract paintings, prints and sculptures are marked by a shift to geometric forms, gestural shapes and experimentation with color to express ideas, subject matter and scenes.
Although abstract art flourished in the early 1900s, propelled by movements like Fauvism and Cubism, it was rooted in the 19th century. In the 1840s, J.M.W. Turner emphasized light and motion for atmospheric paintings in which concrete details were blurred, and Paul Cézanne challenged traditional expectations of perspective in the 1890s.
Some of the earliest abstract artists — Wassily Kandinsky and Hilma af Klint — expanded on these breakthroughs while using vivid colors and forms to channel spiritual concepts. Painter Piet Mondrian, a Dutch pioneer of the art movement, explored geometric abstraction partly owing to his belief in Theosophy, which is grounded in a search for higher spiritual truths and embraces philosophers of the Renaissance period and medieval mystics. Black Square, a daringly simple 1913 work by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, was a watershed statement on creating art that was free “from the dead weight of the real world,” as he later wrote.
Surrealism in the 1920s, led by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim and others, saw painters creating abstract pieces in order to connect to the subconscious. When Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York during the mid-20th century, it similarly centered on the process of creation, in which Helen Frankenthaler’s expressive “soak-stain” technique, Jackson Pollock’s drips of paint, and Mark Rothko’s planes of color were a radical new type of abstraction.
Conceptual art, Pop art, Hard-Edge painting and many other movements offered fresh approaches to abstraction that continued into the 21st century, with major contemporary artists now exploring it, including Anish Kapoor, Mark Bradford, El Anatsui and Julie Mehretu.
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2010s Abstract More Art
Archival Pigment
Artist Comments
Artist Samuel Pretorius paints a warm and refreshing stretch of Coronado Beach. He displays a quintessentially California composition in charismatic impressionism. The lifeguard tower and palm tree overlook the sea glistening in the late afternoon sun. "I wanted to capture the heat of the sand on a hot summer day with the promise of cooling down in the ocean," says Samuel.
About the Artist
Words that describe this painting: lifeguard tower, beach, Coronado, California, ocean, sand, shore, island, sky, clouds, afternoon, summer, season, seascape...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A semi abstracted autumn landscape focusing on texture and warm hues. Brilliant red rushes at the edge of a pond in the foreground. A stand of tall trees in t...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Sandstone
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Artist Comments
"Last spring, I picked up a little collection of succulents from the grocery store," says artist Tara Zalewsky-Nease. "I hesitated to buy them at first, as I’...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"This painting looks like a place I saw in my dream," says artist Naoko Tadotsu. "It was a large forest, filled with bright warm light. Birds were singing mer...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
In her signature deep impasto style, artist Lisa Elley paints an emerald birch forest emerging in the sunshine. With marked palette knife work, she imparts ge...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Color Pencil
Artist Comments
A couple engages in deep conversation over a glass of wine at a Parisian street cafe. "The light is what first caught my eye," says artist Faye Vander Veer...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a warm summer day in the city of Vernazza, located in the Cinque Terre region of Italy. Crowds...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A glowing still life of sunflowers and wildflowers arranged on a rich blue backdrop. Artist Jeff Fleming describes his painting style as kinetic impressionism. Jeff started the piece with a pencil sketch on the canvas, then with gloved hands, he generously applied oil paint using his fingers. Jeff says he created this scene purely from imagination.
About the Artist
Artist Jeff Fleming uses fingerpainting to create exuberant portraits of dogs. Growing up in Southern California, Jeff was first introduced to fingerpainting in kindergarten. He painted through high school and college and won several art awards, including Best of Show in a city wide student competition. After graduating with a degree in journalism and advertising, he went to work as an art director. For the next 40 years, he created print, radio and television ads for a number of top agencies. "After retiring in 2019, the clouds of stress and pressure cleared and allowed me to set my creative energy free," says Jeff. He began developing new techniques focused on the excitement and energy of painting. Today, he uses a variety of methods and tools, including fingerpainting wearing nitrile gloves, traditional paint brushes, bamboo shish kebab sticks, kite string, spraypaint and splattering. While working, Jeff always listens to music, including Broadway musicals, dance music and rhythmic Hawaiian tunes.
Words that describe this painting: impressionism, flowers, vase, spring, blooms, Iris Scott...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Srinivas Kathoju demonstrates an expressionist landscape in dreamy hues of purple. He divides the composition into thre...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Teresa Smith displays a picturesque impressionist landscape of Aspen groves. "Autumn is here," declares Teresa. The leaves slowly turn a crisp, bright yellow. The sunny fall day along the shoreline brings inspiration from its vivid colors.
About the Artist
Teresa Smith captures the soul of the west coast landscape in her contemplative oil paintings. Teresa gathers impressions of the land around her remote island home on horseback rides accompanied by her Irish wolfhound. Her works capture the light coming through the trees, a richness of color, and the interconnectedness of nature. Her subjects emerge through lyrical brushwork, sometimes with light streaming as if through a stained glass window. Her major influences are Georgia O’Keeffe, Emily Carr, and the Canadian Group of Seven, the latter of whom pioneered a distinctive style defined by a direct connection with nature. In addition to painting, Teresa is a master gardener, and she grows food year-round in her garden and volunteers in the community to educate and diagnose plant problems. She works from her studio on the top floor of a barn overlooking the pond and trees, where deer walk by and ducks swim. According to Teresa, "much of today’s art is based on concept. That is, the artist has an idea, then uses their art to educate and inform. I do contemplative painting, which is different. For me, it is allowing the painting to unfold in a contemplative or meditative way."
Words that describe this painting: landscape, Tom Thomson...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Benjamin Thomas shows a sunny beach with softly crashing waves on the dark sand. Three Amish sisters enjoy a stroll on the receding water with their ba...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Marble
Artist Comments
Artist Benjamin Thomas demonstrates an impressionist scene of a couple having an intimate conversation on a lake-side bench. "I was on a bike ride around the town of Niagara and came back to them still being there," says Robert. The figures bathe in the light of the sunset...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
The beauty of the mundane shines on artist Benjamin Thomas' painting of a gracefully lit wall. He captures the brief moment while having lunch on the porch wi...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
In this painting, artist Doug Cosbie features small-scale American tobacco farms with their fields. Each has a curing shed that is attached to the main structure. "The atmosphere is humid after the rain, and the air has an overwhelming but delightfully sweet and pungent smell."
About the Artist
Artist Doug Cosbie presents the vibrancy found in nature with his impressionist, rural architecture centered artwork. Longing to create something that connects with people, Cosbie spent countless years perfecting how he portrays the world on canvas. Within his journey, he studied as an apprentice in the studios of Sam Black and Jack Shadbolt. As a plein air artist, Doug's studio is a portable pochade box...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"This painting was inspired by a feeling—a rekindling of the soul," says artist Pamela Blaies. "Using color temperature, I wanted to create the impression o...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Nielsen captures a cool and soft atmosphere in this still-life piece. She expresses freedom to experiment with the arrangement of elements by adding glasses, teacups, and ribbons. Lisa infuses shades of blue throughout the entire composition. She adds subtle contrasts of color for easiness to the eyes.
About the Artist
There;s a certain innocent joy that comes through in Lisa Nielsen;s artwork. She finds beauty in the everyday and often ordinary, whether it;s painting a pretty girl in the garden or spending time with her daughter at Chipotle - and let;s face it, what isn;t beautiful about a burrito bowl? Lisa likes to say she captures moments in the journey of life. What we see in her art is all part of her life philosophy: to be still, to breathe, to exhaust the small moment.
Words that describe this painting: still life, cool, soft, glass, flowers, ribbon, teacup, small, rose, impressionism, impressionism, still life, oil painting
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Mixed Media, Permanent Marker, Lithograph, Offset
Artist Comments
A vibrant encaustic on wood painted with oil over a collage of antique ephemera. Artist James Hartman portrays a colorful stil...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Encaustic
Artist Comments
Part of artist Onelio Marrero's latest series exploring the terrain and geology of the diverse northwest of New Jersey. "This painting was executed from several plein air oil studies," shares Onelio. He takes advantage of the rich textures and colors he encounters during his painting hikes. Using rich impasto and a skillful palette knife, Onelio works to capture the effect of the boulders diminishing in size as the stream meanders into the upper reaches of the space.
About the Artist
Onelio Marrero paints city scenes of everyday life. In an impressionistic style he captures the romanticism of New York City, the picturesque fountains in Central Park and the wet city streets after a rainy afternoon. His use of warm tones creates a sense of nostalgia and the feeling that you have visited or seen this particular scene before. Onelio will often paint from direct observation, or he will work from a combination of photographs and combine numerous sources into one piece. In this way his work combines reality with fantasy, creating a new story with each painting. His work captures an appreciation for beauty in all of its greatest forms; nature, art, and people.
Words that describe this painting: pool, stream, river, brook, rock, boulder, terrain, geology, woods, autumn, winter, tree, trees, hike, hiking, nature, plein air, oilpaint, nature, sunlight, impressionism, impressionism, nature, oil painting, blue
Rough Terrain Cool Water...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist James Hartman draws inspiration from the experience of seeing sunlit colors and details appearing through the strong vertical tree pattern. He expresses the painting sections to appear like stained glass. James highlights small areas where collaged 100-year-old paper show through the surface, he does this in a non-disruptive way. James applies heat to fuse the oils into a mixture of beeswax and damar crystals to seal the work.
About the Artist
When James Hartman was in art school, he became fascinated with the Society of Six, a group of artists who painted en plein air (outdoors) and exhibited together in the San Francisco Bay Area during the early 20th Century. James's paintings of the Northern California landscape pay tribute to some of the great Bay Area artists of the past. His expressive scenes feel alive through his vibrant use of color and his painterly brushwork. James’s paintings have an immediate visual impact from a distance, yet up close, dissolve into a series of confident marks and strokes. There is a simultaneous complexity and steadiness in his flattened, color-blocked planes. Knowledge and observation are essential elements of James’s working practice. To this end, he spends a large proportion of his time painting on location. His body of work captures the fresh and sunlit essence of the coastal California hills.
Words that describe this painting: expressionism, encaustic, beeswax, collage, antique ephemera...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Encaustic
Artist Comments
Artist Shuxing Fan displays a scene of a suburban neighborhood after a snowfall. Painting in classical realism, he details the envi...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A rustic farm stretches over the field in artist Janet Dyer's impressionist landscape. The charming Cornwall scene depicts the buildings clustered around the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles displays beautiful palms in a quiet place along the beach. He paints with an impressionistic approach, carefully portraying light and it...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles presents a beautiful palm tree overlooking warm waters. The leaves mesmerizingly sway along the gentle gusts of wind. The tropical setti...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mackey displays a sensual and mystical portrait of an angel. She shows the subject evoking a sense of mystery with her face obscured. The dreamy f...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Warren Keating connects two expressive overhead scenes of a person holding an umbrella and a cowboy strutting forward. Their cool blue shadows converge...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Drawing inspiration from her hiking trips, artist Crystal DiPietro paints scenes she personally witnesses. She depicts a hillside view of Saguaro cacti overlooking the canyon. "They stand like sentinels along the landscape," describes Crystal. She paints the mountains turning...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A cluster of pink hydrangeas arranged in a clear rounded vase in full bloom. Artist Nicole Lamothe painted this piece in alla-pr...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Karen E Lewis creates a view of the full moon, the morning after a lunar eclipse. She paints an ethereal sky with shades of pink and blue that set a co...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Two women in festive kimonos stroll the narrow streets of old town in Kyoto. "Japanese kimonos have such amazing varieties of colors and designs, and are them...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Archival Paper
Artist Comments
A sweeping landscape of an illuminated valley at sunset. Mist-covered trees in the distance point up to a stormy sky. Dramatic shades of blue and green hover ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
1970s Abstract More Art
Stone
2010s Abstract More Art
Wool
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints a magnificent scene of a flowing river stream. Part of his series exploring the terrain and geology of northwest New Jersey. He t...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
“A white flower's petals intermingle in a field of deep purple and look like dancers expressing their joy and energy,†says artist Ruth-Anne Siegel. She creates vibrant floral portraits in her signature expressive style and brush strokes full of emotion. Playful colors and lighting are aptly translated into her work. "This painting pairs well with The Ghost Lingers 8."
About the Artist
Ruth-Anne Siegel's vibrant floral paintings flow from memory and her love of music. As she works, she references her own photographs and sketchbook, and draws energy from the sounds of Etta James...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Dainty happy orbs of blue, purple, and red transform from cool to warm. Illuminated from above by early winter sun, they fall unhurriedly to the soft pristine snow. Part of artist Natasha Tayles's signature Circle series.
About the Artist
Vibrant colors makes Natasha Tayles happy. She enjoys discovering new methods and techniques of painting and creativity. For her, art is an important form of self-expression. "It's about being in my own world where it feels free, fun, easy and enjoyable," she explains. She feels the most liberated when working in an abstract style and prefers everything bright and colorful.
Words that describe this painting: circles, abstract, sun, morning, kids, children, nursery, abstract, acrylic painting, purple, red
Blue, Purple and Orange...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
"The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan has an extensive collection of Roman ancestral portrait busts," states artist Onelio Marrero. "Many art students ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer envisions a beautiful field of lavender with steps leading to a quaint home. "I like the way the lavender plant...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Gary Leonard presents a portrait of a woman in a tropical setting. He paints with an impressionist approach but leaves the background subtly abstract t...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Gary Leonard connotes beauty in this refreshing piece of a woman in red by the beach. The stylish subject enjoys her time with the cool breeze, inspiri...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 2000s Abstract More Art
Textile
Artist Comments
It's my continuing love affair with the forest. Using contrast, I portray the rose of morning rising from the shadows.
About the Artist
Russian-born Tatiana Iliina lives in Montreal and has sold paintings to collectors all over the world. She works with both abstract and representational compositions, with many pieces falling somewhere in between. Some of Tatiana’s paintings could be interpreted as a landscape or a cityscape, or a non-representational articulation of color, giving the viewer the opportunity to make independent decisions about the work. Her long brushstrokes and painterly style are created using a palette knife, resulting in richly textured canvases. Working in a range of colors from muted grays to bold blues, vibrant purples, and glowing oranges, Tatiana’s portfolio reflects an array of moods while maintaining a focus on her iconic style.
Dawn to...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
“A white flower's petals intermingle in a field of deep purple and look like dancers expressing their joy and energy.†says artist Ruth-Anne Siegel. In this expressive floral piece she mixes the colors skillfully for an eye-catching pop. "This painting pairs well with The Ghost Lingers 9."
About the Artist
Ruth-Anne Siegel's vibrant floral paintings flow from memory and her love of music. As she works, she references her own photographs and sketchbook, and draws energy from the sounds of Etta James...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Waves roll in while the sun sits high in the sky. Inspired by a short winter visit to Florida, artist Judy Mackey creates a serene ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"The sun is shining brightly, and its playful, beaming rays are bathing in the puddles along with the sparrows," says artist Tatiana Iliina. Strong and tall t...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles offers an evening landscape with tall willowy trees standing like shadows on the horizon. A dark image of the forest is starkly juxtaposed with a vibrant field in the foreground. George is known for his dramatic fall landscapes and panoramic ocean vistas...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A joyous bouquet of various flowers set against a dramatic dark background by artist Autumn Rose. Inspired by her never-ending love of botanicals, Autumn comb...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A glowing fall landscape under a soft blue sky. In the foreground, the lines of a freshly plowed field lead to the colorful stand of trees on the horizon. George is known for his dramatic landscapes and panoramic ocean vistas. He enjoys painting brief, electric moments in nature. George draws on his surroundings in Michigan but ultimately paints entirely from his imagination.
About the Artist
George Peebles is an award-winning artist specializing in contemporary landscape oils. His paintings are characterized by their pleasing combination of brilliant hues and rich skies. He describes his art as a reflection of the place inside each of us where we connect to nature. Painted from memory, each stroke is an inward expression of his emotions. George views his work as a lifelong process that leads him to new concepts and ideas best expressed on his canvas.
Words that describe this painting: fall, autumn, landscape, trees, field, sky, clouds, nature, expressionism, landscape, representational, oil painting, orange
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"A group of people, dressed in bright, colorful summer attire, wait in line for the store to open," describes artist John Jaster. "People watching has always ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Early 2000s Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Felt Pen
2010s Abstract More Art
Steel
