Abstract Landscape Paintings
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.
Find original abstract paintings, sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Working from memory, artist Onelio Marrero paints a full moon in the early morning hours over the salt marshes in coastal New Jersey. The silvery glow in the early morning hours reflects dreamily onto still waters. "These wetlands are profoundly affected by the tides," says Onelio. "The channels that meander throughout the marshes invite the viewer to visually follow the bends and turns." There is a timeless and mysterious quality in these natural elements and Onelio's memory of the scene is well served in the execution of this painting.
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: marsh, wetland, swamp, inlet, waterway, stream, river, grass, tree, cloud, moon, mist, morning, water, reflection, dawn, impressionism, oilpaint, panoramic, nature, impressionism, nature, oil painting, blue
Morning Moon and Cloud...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Oil Pastel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Gesso, Cotton Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic, Board
Late 20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Pastel
Mid-20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A magical evening on the beach unfolds in artist George Peebles' panoramic ocean vista. The alluring seascape elicits a whimsical sen...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer exhibits a picturesque view of a summer sunset in Provence. Groves of trees flourish in the evergreen landscape. She captures the distinct fee...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Melissa Gannon paints a vibrant landscape of autumnal aspens. Melissa draws inspiration from her adventure of a trip throug...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Jennifer Ross paints a sunny and cheerful still life of a robin’s nest occupied with three eggs. Nestled within a carefully woven nook of grass and twigs, three blue eggs appear within its dark recesses. The nest is set against a white surface cut by a bright complementing yellow hue. “Robin’s egg blue is one of the most beautiful colors found in nature, and one found on my palette,†says Jennifer.
About the Artist
Artist Jennifer Ross creates intimate portraits of birds, nests and horses. Jennifer grew up surrounded by the art of her mother and grandfather. Her attempt to follow in their footsteps presented detours, however, and she ended up working in art galleries selling other's work. But her desire to paint continued to grow throughout the years. In 2008, a gift certificate...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer displays a magnificent view of a French vineyard. Rows of grapevines ripen under the radiant summer sun. A longère, a lengthy narrow farmhous...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
In viridian hues, artist Vahe Yeremyan paints the towering cliffs in Sedona, Arizona. Creating a sweeping background of bright blues, Vahe highlights the majest...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Joanie Ford depicts a few beachgoers enjoying a relaxing day out by the shore. Clouds provide a cool shadow from the sun's summer heat as a gentle breeze...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer displays an impressionistic landscape of lush lavender fields in Provence, France. Expressive strokes in bold shades of green and hints of gol...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Melissa Gannon projects an expressionist forest landscape in vivid prismatic hues. Shades of bright orange, red and yellow fill the piece with energy. Melissa displays...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer displays a sunny landscape of Provence, France. A scenic woodland stretches toward a grove of trees flourishing over the terrain. "This field ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Inpired by the streets of San Francisco, artist Lisa Elley paints the iconic tram on a warm day. This piece is her contemporary rendition of the bustling city. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1960s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer pictures a field in Provence, using an atypical "Provençal" color palette. She displays the temperate landscape in diverse shades of vivid greens. A line of lush trees stands in the midground, blanketed by the wild grass in the pasture. Janet uses both a brush and a palette knife for dynamic paintwork application.
About the Artist
Janet Dyer doesn’t like to spend too much time talking about her art, as she’d rather be creating it. She doesn’t have an artist statement, the traditional statement of purpose crafted by visual artists to explain their method. On becoming an artist, Janet simply states, “I picked up some crayons and pencils and brushes and kept using them.†She believes the process of creating art is equal in importance to the final product. The artist enjoys relinquishing control of her paintings to find delightful surprises in her so-called “mistakes.†Janet's expressively gestural yet bucolic landscapes are a testament to the success of her method.
Words that describe this painting: landscape, France, Provence, fields, country, trees, mountains, field, hills, palette knife, acrylicpaint, Europe, impressionism, impressionism, landscape, acrylic painting, green
Yellow Sky...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Paula Martino displays a verdant landscape showing a forest brimming with wildflowers. The rocks and tall grasses in the foreground frame the rolling meadow beyond. Painted using only a palette knife, she depicts this end-of-summer scene primarily in textured yellows and greens with only hints of alizarin and burnt umber. This lovely prospect asks viewers to stop for a moment and immerse themselves in nature.
About the Artist
Artist Paula Martino paints impressionist scenes, especially of places with water. “They reflect the energy and emotions I feel when I see a compelling locale I visit,†says Paula. Using various tools, she applies thick layers of color with oil or acrylic paint and sometimes uses stencil work. With her palette knife technique, she unveils strands of lighter hues amidst her dominantly saturated palette, creating a semi-abstract element. Paula worked as a CPA for thirty-five years running her own tax practice while raising three children, with one having Down Syndrome. All the while pursuing art part-time in a studio her husband built for her in their basement. After retiring in 2020, she decided to pursue her art practice fully, studying in earnest with nationally recognized colorists, portrait artists, and landscape painters. “The experiences of caregiving and tax prep forced me to be very conscientious and organized with my time and efforts. I needed to be so completely organized for so long that it is a relief to be a little messy in my studio.â€
Words that describe this painting: rocks, Queen Annes lace...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
Artist Comments
Mesmerizing autumnal trees flourish in artist George Peebles' serene landscape. Radiant hues of orange take over the green foliage as the season gently but dram...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Fabric, Paper, Oil Crayon, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer displays an impressionist landscape of a scenic mountain path. The woodlands of Provence glow in the brilliance of the warm summer sun. Janet ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Silvery autumn sunshine gleams over artist George Peeble's dreamy landscape. A reflection of the colors of autumn luster within the vast clearing of trees. Inte...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Artist John Jaster paints an impressionistic view of a golden aspen forest. Tall trees painted in bold yellow, green and blue spread ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles embodies solemnity in a calm and pensive seascape. He envisions the composition reflecting on a dream by the water. Deep ocean waves rhythmically drift along the tantalizing vista. George displays the brief electric moment in nature entirely from his imagination.
About the Artist
Award-winning artist, George Peebles specializes in contemporary panoramic scenes. Breathtaking combinations of brilliant hues and gradients of rich skies map out his paintings. “My art is a reflection of the place inside each of us where we connect to nature,†says George. Based in Michigan, he draws inspiration from electric moments within his environment. Each stroke is an inward expression of his emotions as he paints from memory. George, being colorblind views his work as a lifelong process that leads him to new concepts and ideas best expressed on his canvas. When he’s out of the studio, George works as a chef at their local hospital. His work is represented in eighteen healthcare facilities.
Words that describe this painting: water, sky, clouds, dreamy, moody, dramatic, waves, water, seascape, expressionism, abstract, oilpaint, calm, tranquil, still, peaceful, expressionism, seascape, oil painting
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Elizabeth Garat paints an alluring empty backyard woods bathed in the golden sunset. The crisp fall foliage turns the terrain in...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
