Abstract Impressionist Art

Artist Comments
Twilight in San Francisco's marina district, with the downtown skyline in the distance. "The soft blue tones and boats parked for the day bring a sense of cal...

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A puddled hillside path reflects the sky's brilliant light just after an afternoon shower. The light gives the fall trees a soft backlit appearance. "I love t...

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The soft colors in this painting are harmonic and peaceful. The piece is painted with thick texture and expressive brushstrokes to indicate the dynamic beauty o...

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While the artist painted this scene from life, the aroma of lavender filled the studio. "The atmosphere seemed to calm the storms of the day," Pamela recalls....

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This is a California impressionist oil painting of Mulholland Ridge Open Space. This is in the San Fran...

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This is my interpretation of a section of the American River near my home. I tried to convey the feeling of peace that I get when walking in this area with the ducks and birds for company. I added the path for a little sense of mystery as to what we might see in those trees beyond the river. I created this piece on Ampersand Pastelbord and it will need framing for display.

About the Artist
Pastel artist Patricia Prendergast creates impressionist artworks that depict the rivers and landscapes near her home in Sacramento, California. With each nature vignette, she captures the sense of larger natural rhythms through quick mark-making, mauve undertones, and a tranquil and serene haziness. Her work recalls the paintings from the Hudson River School such as Thomas Cole and Asher Brown Durand. Before working on her pastels at home in her studio, she spends hours studying nature on walks along the river near her home. Since becoming an artist, she says “everything is more vivid - the beauty of light and shadow in the trees, the subtlety of the color of clouds, the sparkle and reflections in water.” Her work as been exhibited in solo shows around California. She is represented by UGallery.

View down the River...

Artist Comments
"This piece was inspired by an early morning hike through a lush meadow filled with summer flowers," says Crystal. "The sun was just starting to creep in over...

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Beautiful spring blossom in a rural area. Lilac and apple trees are highlighted under the light of the spring sun. I used thick ...

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Native Americans call the month of February the Hunger Moon. Outside my studio windows, the February sun is hidden behind an overcas...

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This painting is part of Suren Nersisyan's series of California landscapes focusing on the nature and stunning light around Los Angeles. He draws inspiration from the residential streets, parks and gardens that dot the vast city. Of this piece, Suren says Just before dusk, the soft light from the sun and the beautiful colors of vintage buildings...

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"A tranquil setting for a picnic or an early afternoon nap," says Patricia. The eucalyptus trees create a frame for the pond, the mid-ground bushes and the di...

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Distant view of Mount Baker in Washington state through a stand of fir trees. Sun shimmers off of the lake in the middle ground. "Color is probably my most important consideration when making a painting," explains Teresa. "I contrast texture - thin wash next to impasto, for example. I work the shapes as if they are puzzle pieces. I use thin glazes to add luminosity and create colors that are unique and luscious, then add thick brush marks as contrast."

About the Artist
Teresa Smith captures the soul of the Canadian 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: impressionism, landscape, mountains, trees, lake, Washington, impressionism, landscape, representational, oil painting, blue

Mt Baker...

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Tara took the reference photo for this painting while hiking through the Jemez Wilderness in New Mexico. It was late afternoon in September along a canyon tra...

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A man casts off from a dock in morning sunshine, his reflection softly distorted in the lapping water below. "The fisherman prefers catching fish early in the...

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This painting is part of Suren Nersisyan's series of California landscapes focusing on the nature and stunning light around Los Angeles. He draws inspiration ...

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Patricia set up her easel at one of her favorite spots along the American River and painted a small study of the early morning scene. Then she went back to he...

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Suren travels extensively, seeking out unique compositions in the neighborhoods, architecture and nature he encounters. For Suren, it is important for him to ...

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This painting is about combining realism, abstraction, color, spontaneity - all of the things that I think make for an exciting and engaging piece of art.

Artist Comments
In this mixed media painting, Tara combined gestural brushstrokes with patterned collage paper to convey the drama of waves crashing on the California coast. ...