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Abstract More Art

ABSTRACT STYLE

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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Style: Abstract
Magnolia Bouquet, Oil Painting
Magnolia Bouquet, Oil Painting

Magnolia Bouquet, Oil Painting

By Oksana Johnson

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
"Every spring I get inspired by spectacular blooming magnolias," shares artist Oksana Johnson. "This time, I arranged contrasting white and dark maroon blosso...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Peony I, Oil Painting
Peony I, Oil Painting

Peony I, Oil Painting

By Nicole Lamothe

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Nicole Lamothe paints a charming pink peony framed by a neutral patterned background. Her distinct brushwork creates a delicate softness about the piec...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Poppies - Still Life, Original Painting
Poppies - Still Life, Original Painting

Poppies - Still Life, Original Painting

By Ruth LaGue

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Ruth LaGue expresses an arrangement of two red poppies in a yellow ceramic vase. A lone petal falls onto the table's surface adding a dramatic touch. Ruth use...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Acrylic

Stalling and Waiting, Oil Painting
Stalling and Waiting, Oil Painting

Stalling and Waiting, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The title of this painting expresses artist Onelio Marrero's observations of people sitting alone in restaurants and cafes. In this case, a woman waits agains...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Shaman, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Shaman, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Abstract, acrylic painting with gestural brushstrokes, evocative marks and personal calligraphy. Metallics and glitter are incorporated to create reflective surfaces. Historically an...

Category

2010s Abstract More Art

Materials

Acrylic

Sunflowers in Sunlight, Oil Painting
Sunflowers in Sunlight, Oil Painting

Sunflowers in Sunlight, Oil Painting

By Nicole Lamothe

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A delightful still life of three home-grown sunflowers from artist Nicole Lamothe's garden each in their own vase. Forever capturing the essence of summer, Ni...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

The Palm Trees, Oil Painting
The Palm Trees, Oil Painting

The Palm Trees, Oil Painting

By George Peebles

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles exhibits palm trees overlooking the Caribbean. He captures the relaxed scene with an impressionist approach. Fresh blue waters drift to ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Moonflower, Original Painting
Moonflower, Original Painting

Moonflower, Original Painting

By Autumn Rose

Located in San Francisco, CA

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Acrylic

Untitled

Untitled

Located in Phoenix, AZ

Horse hair and cotton Dutch artist Marian Bijlenga's work has exhibited and received awards at venues worldwide. Rather than drawing on paper, Bijlenga draws in space, using textile...

Category

Early 2000s Abstract More Art

Materials

Cotton, Mixed Media

Blue Boy
Blue Boy

Blue Boy

By Billy Criswell

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Criswell's dimensional wall sculpture emerged from a study of spatial organization by arranging basic, repetitive shapes into a harmonious balance, while exploring the concept of sim...

Category

2010s Abstract More Art

Materials

Wood, Paint, Wood Panel

Phacelia, Oil Painting
Phacelia, Oil Painting

Phacelia, Oil Painting

By Crystal DiPietro

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
"Many types of phacelia are a welcome and colorful sight in the desert in spring," shares artist Crystal DiPietro. "In this piece, a large purple variety stan...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

House and Barn, Oil Painting
House and Barn, Oil Painting

House and Barn, Oil Painting

By Brian McCarty

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Brian McCarty depicts a quiet rural home behind a red barn. Surrounded by a field of grass and autumnal trees, a car sits on the winding dirt path. "Everyday life is caught in a moment," says Brian. "Arriving home, or getting ready to leave home. A lazy afternoon." Just the type of subject Brian loves to paint.


About the Artist
Artist Brian McCarty paints idyllic landscapes and bucolic architecture. “Growing up in rural New Jersey, I’ve always found old houses, barns, and the countryside interesting subjects,” says Brian. Influenced by his mom who was a self-taught artist and art teacher, she encouraged Brian to pursue anything artistic. After graduating from Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art and earning his BA in Art from Thomas Edison State College, he worked professionally as a graphic designer in New York for the largest publishing houses in the country. A career that spanned thirty-six years. Brian has done comedy and sketch writing with the Groundling Theater, and worked in a few major feature films as an actor. To begin his process, Brian takes photos of his references with an iPad, crops the images to his liking, and paints directly on his canvas with a quick oil wash. Recently returning to painting full time, he converted a room in his house into a working studio. “I get lots of natural light, and listen to music and podcasts while I paint.”


Words that describe this painting: country, house, home, barn, farmhouse, farm life, country living, road, architecture, impressionism, autumn, oilpaint, architecture, impressionism, oil painting, green, brown


House and Barn...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Endless Quest, Original Painting
Endless Quest, Original Painting

Endless Quest, Original Painting

By Tatiana Iliina

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A monochromatic winter forest with warm tones of beige, brown, and yellow by artist Tatiana Iliina. With her swift and precise strokes, Tatiana captures the g...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Acrylic

Morning Contemplation, Oil Painting
Morning Contemplation, Oil Painting

Morning Contemplation, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
"In this painting, I wanted to further my explorations of interiors in dramatic lighting and the look of folds on unmade beds," explains artist Onelio Marrero...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

After Egypt

After Egypt

By Cleve Gray

Located in Phoenix, AZ

oil on canvas Cleve Gray is a painter admired for his large-scale, vividly colorful, and lyrically gestural abstract compositions. He achieved his greatest critical recognition in ...

Category

1990s Abstract More Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Luck And Faith, Oil Painting
Luck And Faith, Oil Painting

Luck And Faith, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero depicts a mother and her child dropping coins into a fountain for good luck. The quiet moment is painted in brilliant morning light with dappled shadows in the foreground. Behind them lies a verdant backdrop of foliage around a stone church and a view of the distant city beyond. Onelio's rich textures and detailed brushwork greatly enhances the piece. "The separating line between the church and the fountain reminds us of the demarcation between faith and luck," says Onelio.


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: fountain, church, plaza, spring, stonework, architecture...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Untitled (Hearts): Mixed Media Contemporary Painting by Peter Rossiter

Untitled (Hearts): Mixed Media Contemporary Painting by Peter Rossiter

By Peter Rossiter

Located in Brecon, Powys

Oil on board untitled abstract from Peter Rossiter. In this work Peter wants to invite interpretation rather than to give it. He wants the viewer to use thought & imagination to see what is contained within the piece. Peter Rossiter was born in Cambridge, UK in 1950 and studied at York University & The Courtauld Institute, London. Peter's background is rooted in the global art world; his Grandfather was the German artist Martin Bloch...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Sunflowers in Bloom, Oil Painting
Sunflowers in Bloom, Oil Painting

Sunflowers in Bloom, Oil Painting

By Jeff Fleming

Located in San Francisco, CA

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Composition in Blue, Oil Painting
Composition in Blue, Oil Painting

Composition in Blue, Oil Painting

By Lisa Nielsen

Located in San Francisco, CA

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


Composition in Blue...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Fa Caldo, Oil Painting
Fa Caldo, Oil Painting

Fa Caldo, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints this piece based on a visit to Rome, Italy. He depicts a scene of Constantine's Arch and The Colosseum on a warm late May...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Accountability, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Accountability, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Accountability, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Andrada Anghel

Located in Yardley, PA

- Title - Accountability - Medium: water-miscible oil paint and acrylic on canvas - Support: stretched canvas, ready to hang, painted sides. - Size: 36" x 40" x 1.5" - Two coats ...

Category

2010s Abstract More Art

Materials

Acrylic

A Sunrise at the River, Oil Painting
A Sunrise at the River, Oil Painting

A Sunrise at the River, Oil Painting

By Elizabeth Garat

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Sunrise. Colored clouds recede into space, dominating this painting looking upriver. This painting is done in oil on stretched canvas. It is sealed with wax...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Lofty Perch, Oil Painting
Lofty Perch, Oil Painting

Lofty Perch, Oil Painting

By Mary Pratt

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Mary Pratt paints a surreal expressionist habitat surrounding a brightly colored bird perched on a branch. She believes birds are earthly showstoppers and captures them as such. These animals enhance our lives by encouraging us to pause and observe. "Oh look, there goes a beautiful bird—I always stop to look," says Mary.


About the Artist
Mary Pratt, a Georgia...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Abstract Composition

Abstract Composition

By David Harper

Located in Brecon, Powys

Abstract Composition - a large colourful acrylic on canvas from the studio of David Harper. This piece pays homage to both Picasso & Matisse in style but is pure Harper in execution....

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Acrylic

Bed and Breakfast Porch, Oil Painting
Bed and Breakfast Porch, Oil Painting

Bed and Breakfast Porch, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A woman comfortably sits under a shaded porch on a sunny morning. Artist Onelio Marrero captures the scene from Angel of The Sea, a breakfast inn located at C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Spring Cycling in Yellow, Oil Painting
Spring Cycling in Yellow, Oil Painting

Spring Cycling in Yellow, Oil Painting

By Warren Keating

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Warren Keating displays an image of a man riding a bicycle from an aerial view. "This painting was inspired by an early morning cyclist traveling on a ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Edge of the Woods, Original Painting
Edge of the Woods, Original Painting

Edge of the Woods, Original Painting

By James Hartman

Located in San Francisco, CA

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Encaustic

Impressions of Fall, Oil Painting
Impressions of Fall, Oil Painting

Impressions of Fall, Oil Painting

By Lisa Elley

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley created this glowing impressionist scene after a fall trip to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite National Park. "The quaking a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

More Or Less #1, 6"x6", Small Minimal Abstract Painting, Black And White, Modern
More Or Less #1, 6"x6", Small Minimal Abstract Painting, Black And White, Modern

More Or Less #1, 6"x6", Small Minimal Abstract Painting, Black And White, Modern

By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul

Located in Mississauga, Ontario

Modern and minimal, this black and white painting on canvas places emphasis on simplifying the composition. Paint over paper collage adds a subtle textured element. The understated, ...

Category

2010s Abstract More Art

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Acrylic

February Roses, Oil Painting
February Roses, Oil Painting

February Roses, Oil Painting

By Nicole Lamothe

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Nicole Lamothe creates a simple yet striking composition of velvety red roses in a clear glass vase. A single petal falls to the table, directing the e...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Taos Gorge Landscape, Oil Painting
Taos Gorge Landscape, Oil Painting

Taos Gorge Landscape, Oil Painting

By Elizabeth Garat

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A fall landscape at sunset, with golden clouds rushing across the expansive sky. "Northern New Mexico is known for mythical light, sculptural land forms and d...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art

Materials

Oil

Abstract more art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract more art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add more art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Onelio Marrero, Nicky Marais , Andrea Stajan-Ferkul, and Janet Dyer. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Abstract more art, so small editions measuring 1.38 inches across are also available. Prices for more art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $11 and tops out at $98,000, while the average work sells for $1,281.