Abstract Paintings

"The Painter’s Brew"

Painting above: This kinda looks a messy artist's palette or the mess left by a painting haha! But you know what, people love that look... and this one is on purpose. It's like a coffee-colored painter's palette.

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I’ve been wanting to create more abstract paintings lately—partly to experiment with different color palettes, and partly to explore movement and texture without relying on recognizable forms. It’s a huge challenge for me!

When I look at other abstract work, I’m always amazed by how powerful it can be. It makes me feel like I still have a long way to go before I really find my voice in the abstract world. But I’m trying to remind myself that each piece is a stepping stone—evidence that I’m learning, experimenting, and getting closer.

The only way to discover is to keep creating—again and again—through trial and error, learning from both intention and mistake. With each piece, I’m asking myself: which colors do I love together, and what do I feel when I look at the finished painting?

Here are more questions to ask when viewing an abstract painting:

1. What do you notice first, and what keeps your attention after that initial moment?

2. How does your eye move through the painting—what paths, pauses, or loops does it create?

3. What’s the emotional temperature of the piece (calm, tense, playful, heavy), and what specifically creates that feeling?

4. How is contrast working here—value, color temperature, saturation, scale, or texture—and is it supporting the intent?

5. Where is the painting most alive (most convincing/energized), and where does it feel hesitant or unresolved?

6. What kind of space is being created—flat, layered, deep, atmospheric—and how do the marks/build-up achieve it?

7. What visual relationships repeat (shapes, lines, colors, rhythms), and do they build coherence or create sameness?

8. How do the edges behave (hard/soft/lost) and what do they do for structure, depth, and movement?

9. What role do the materials and process play—can you sense decisions, revisions, pressure, speed, restraint—and does that add meaning?

10. If you had to name the painting in one sentence (not a title), what would you say it’s about—and what evidence in the work supports that reading?

More abstract paintings coming soon...