Over the past 2 days I led a workshop in Abstract Painting, twelve excellent painters and me. We explored 3 different ways to approach a blank canvas, with no representative subject or imagery in sight, and begin a painting with confidence. Several of our artists were familiar with watercolor but not acrylics. Others were well acquainted with painting realistic subjects but not abstract. All went home with at least one finished non-representation abstract acrylic painting and others, if not finished, well in progress.

Meanwhile, I came away with the knowledge that teaching abstract painting can be fun, and I have a complete 2-to 3-day program plan for future workshops. I also discovered a new color palette that I plan to use in future works.

Some of our paintings began with line dominance, others with shape dominance.

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A line-dominant beginning can finish in many ways, including an abstract forest scene such as “In the Deep Woods,” 18″x24″ acrylic on canvas or “Earthlight,” 36″x36″ acrylic on canvas.

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A shape-dominant beginning also can finish in many ways, including “Crossroads,” 11″x14″ acrylic on canvas or “The Space Between,” 20″x20″ acrylic on canvas.:

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Or it might finish like the featured painting in this blog, “The Power of Ordinary Things,” 18″x24″ watercolor mounted on canvas.

Coming home with a new color palette to explore, I was too excited (even though exhausted from teaching for 2 days) not to start a new abstract. This one is in progress and small enough that I hope to finish it tonight. Tentatively, it’s titled, “Blue Perspective.”

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