Abstract Impressionist Paintings

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"This longhorn was located at a ranch in Southern Colorado," shares artist Heather Foster. "I am always amazed by longhorns because I expect them to be clumsy...

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A warm impressionist still life of pink peonies against a pink backdrop. "Soft, happy colors are what I envisioned," says artist Judy Mackey. "I created the u...

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A young maiko - a geisha in training - strolls in an abstract landscape, her delicate face decorated in traditional makeup. The organic patterning surrounding...

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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...

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Artist Onelio Marrero paints a tender mother and daughter moment in a river. Created as a figurative study for a larger painting of the same setting. The subj...

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Artist Onelio Marrero captures this scene of a sunset's effects on a snow-covered trail near his home in northern New Jersey. The rich colors and textures of this painting, rendered in sensitive yet bold strokes, reflect the fleeting light filtering through the trees. Onelio works from a small oil study and paints the rest from memory.

About the Artist
Artist Onelio Marrero paints impressionist city scenes of everyday life. He captures the romanticism of New York City, from the picturesque fountains in Central Park to a glistening city street on a rainy afternoon. He creates a sense of nostalgia and intimacy with his work, offering the feeling that you have visited this particular scene before. “Each play of light, each texture, and each movement of a figure can have a captivating effect on me,” says Onelio. He studied at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art where he mastered discerning color and values, giving his work a more spontaneous appearance. Onelio’s work is an appreciation for beauty in all of its greatest forms; nature, art, and people.

Words that describe this painting: woods, forest, trees, leaves, snow, winter, season, trail, shadow, impressionism, sunset, oilpaint, nature, impressionism, nature, oil painting, purple

Sunset on the River...

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An autumn mountain meadow glows in evening light, presiding over a small town with a prominent chapel. "The Stowe Community Ch...

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Artist Tara Zalewsky-Nease painted this rhododendron forest scene en plein air in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. Bold and gestural brushwork punctuates...

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A young girl sits at a park on a late summer's day in August, lost in a story of a compelling book. The strong afternoon sunlight highlights her hair and back. "I saw this girl sitting by the reflecting pool in Washington, DC", shares artist Faye Vander Veer. "I wanted the painting to be about her, so I obscured surrounding details and kept the brushwork loose. What was her story, what was she reading?”

About the Artist
Artist Faye Vander Veer seeks out moments with engaging narratives and captures them with an impressionist style. She describes herself as an observer of people living their day-to-day lives. Her goal is to offer viewers a look into her sensory memory while also prompting the beginning of a story. Faye always keeps her camera by her side, ready to capture reference material. "For me, each painting is an opportunity to explore my emotional reactions to the color and light I observe," says Faye. She enjoys being in her glass-walled studio surrounded by nature to inspire her creative process. When she is not putting paint on canvas, Faye can be found in nature, journaling or writing poetry. Her artwork has been showcased in both American Art Collector and Art of the West magazines.

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, female, woman, girl, impressionism, impressionist, water, book, Manet, Degas, people, park, book, hair, impressionism, people, oil painting, brown

Young Girl Reading...

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Artist Judy Mackey says she asked her patrons to help her title this impressionist painting of orange tulips, and she loved the sug...

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Artist Suren Nersisyan shows an inviting view of a vineyard that draws the eyes further towards a scenic mountain range lining the distance. Rows of grapevine...

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The rear arbor and limestone pond of a historic mansion in Ringwood located in northern New Jersey. On the upper tier of the arb...

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A dramatic winter scene of an aspen forest in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, outside of Santa Fe. "There is an amazing point during a snowstorm as clouds are...

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Sprawling fields in lush green and orange undulate in fluid brushwork. A lone barn rests on the left, set against a backdrop of billowing white clouds. "Just ...

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A thickly textured palette knife painting of an old saguaro cactus standing against a blooming spring desert backdrop. "This painting was inspired by the incredible Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California," shares artist Lisa Elley. "It's where the Colorado and Mojave Deserts collide with amazing vistas and dazzling flowers."

About the Artist
Working almost exclusively with a palette knife, Lisa Elley maneuvers her artistic blade with an uncanny fluidity. Why paint only with the knife? She says, "when I paint with a brush, which I do occasionally, I tend to focus on the detail. With a palette knife I can't focus on the detail too much, so my paintings are looser, and more gestural, with bigger sweeps and strokes." This technique is called wet-on-wet. And it seems to be quite popular, as she has been bestowed the title "Knife Queen" by her facebook fans. Fun fact: Lisa's high school art teacher told her to study harder at math, as a career in art was "impossible."

Words that describe this painting: desert, Mojave, flowers, floral, spring, cactus, sun, mountains, sky, landscape, California, Joshua Tree, impressionism, landscape, western, representational, oil painting, purple

Desert Bloom...

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Artist Doug Cosbie paints a summer pastoral scene with barns and farmhouses in the distance. "There are many old family farms west of Washington DC in the county of Fauquier," says Doug. He includes the Stars and Stripes barn found near Delaplane, VA. Vivid hues of blue and green color the breezy natural landscape.

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. He begins by finding a location that speaks to him, makes a sketch, and continues to add depth and dimension with oil on canvas. "Creativity when making art is not about interpreting exactly as you see it. New ideas are formed by interesting contrasts, and interesting paintings happen when things are out of place." In the rare cases when he is not painting, you can find him reading, traveling, sailing, and spending quality time with his family. Cosbie's creations have been showcased at galleries in Canada. He is an alumnus of Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Words that describe this painting: barns, farm, landscape, Virginia, USA, United States, summer, hills, structures, buildings, architecture, pastoral, rural, town, sky, oilpaint, travel, impressionism, architecture, impressionism, travel, oil painting, blue

Fauquier County...

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"I spend all summer long at my studio on a big lake," shares artist Valerie Berkely, "and the shoreline is often a favorite subject. In this piece, I first ap...

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"I've painted this contemplative piece when the pandemic started and the world started changing around us," shares artist Claudia Verciani. An elderly woman g...

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"I admire pelicans. They are really sensational birds," shares artist Andres Lopez. "Being lovers of the sea, these birds are not usually seen in any other pa...

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Artist Suren Nersisyan painted this impressionist coastal scene en plein on the beach in Malibu, California. He says his focus was on the color and texture of...

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Artist Samuel Pretorius paints a bright sunny day at Shark Fin Cove near Santa Cruz in impressionism. A breathtaking cove stre...

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Apples on a branch glow in warm light, accentuated by the cool abstract backdrop. Sherri applied paint primarily with a palette knife. She says that because o...

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"This is a calf from a herd I met in Pagosa Springs, Colorado," shares artist Heather Foster. "I wanted the bold underpainting to show through and give a dist...

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Artist Doug Cosbie offers a peaceful view of an Amish dwelling during the summer. A well-trodden dirt road leads up to a wooden garage where a trusty tractor is parked for the day. "Traditional Amish homes have a distinct angular look," says Doug. "Its metal roof, white paint, green window shades epitomize the simple life they have chosen."

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...

Artist Comments
Using a light and soft palette, artist Mary Pratt paints a figure in a buoyant tulle dress surrounded by contrasting geometric shapes. With a pink rose in her hand, and a palm delicately placed under her chin, the woman exudes elegance heightened by her graceful manner. "I portrayed a scene where the levitating objects create action in an otherwise restful place."

About the Artist
Mary Pratt, a Georgia-based artist, is known for her impressionistic yet modern oil paintings that capture the world with a jovial poise. Her soft, ethereal palette is complemented by the occasional bright pop of color. The artist’s aesthetic choices are intuitive rather than premeditated. Through her gestural brushstrokes, Mary’s paintings summon a joyful, even childlike, emotional response. Her style is nuanced by a range of inspirations, including scenery from the state of Georgia. The personal edge that Mary brings to each painting alters and enhances recognizable subject matter, cultivating an imaginative visual experience.

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, contemporary, woman, people, dress, fashion, gentle, flower, soft, pastel, impressionism, oilpaint, impressionism, people, oil painting, pink

Seated In Perpetual Motion...

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Artist Janet Dyer shares an impressionist perspective of a still lake on a quiet spring day. She paints pristine waters reflecting the lively trees in complem...

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Artist Nikolay Rizhankov shows a tranquil winter scene in this work. A boy walks his dog around the frosty driveway on a quiet evening. They both enjoy the st...

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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 f...

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Artist Janet Dyer displays an expressive landscape of the highlands of France. Towering green trees stand against the azure skyline. "Provence is more than la...

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I really love still life. Nothing helps me grow more as an artist than painting still life. It sits for one so patiently as you strive to capture it's image on your canvas. But it challenges me also. It's not easy to keep it from looking static and void of life. I think I was able to give this one some of the energy of light and color that it was patiently showing to me. A juicy harmony of fruit and flowers and deep cobalt blue glass...

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A divided path in a forest preserve near artist Suzanne Massion's studio in rural Illinois. She captured the cool autumn day, punctuated with gold, ocher and warm yellows against the purple shadows along the pathway. The location is a favorite subject for Suzanne, and she often walks there for inspiration at different times of the year. "Baseball great Yogi Berra...

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Artist Jeff Fleming describes his painting style as kinetic impressionism. In this piece, a beagle triumphantly retrieves a stick thrown into the ocean. Jeff started the piece with a pencil sketch on the canvas, then with gloved hands, he applied oil paint using his fingers. Details were later added using brushes. Once these layers of paint dried, he moved the piece to his studio floor. "At this point, I whisked paint in random but authoritative strokes - a speckling technique which replicates water splashing."

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: beagle, dog, pet, impressionism, Iris Scott...

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...

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Artist Mandy Main shows a peaceful inlet surrounded by lush vegetation. Deep shadows contrast with the bright sunlight, leading the eye into the composition a...