Driven to Abstraction

Four watercolor artists share their thoughts on exploring the abstract and non-objective art genre.

Abstract art, according to the Tate Museums’ website, is any art “that doesn’t attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality, but instead uses shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks to achieve its effect.” The non-objective nature of the approach leads to a lot of misconceptions, but there’s a rich history in abstract painting and plenty of creative reward for artists who are drawn to exploration, experimentation, and a spirit of play. 

The artists below share their personal thoughts on the often-misunderstood art form. 

Addressing Misconceptions

“I’ve heard statements like, ‘My 5-year-old could paint that.’ No, they couldn’t! All paintings include elements and principles of design, whether intentionally or not. It’s how they work together in the composition of a painting that will make or break it.”
—Stan Kurth

Embracing the Mystery

“My representational landscapes were a dreamy rendition of the scene that I was painting, but not much more. My abstract paintings have energy, emotion, strong color vibration and, most of all, mystery, which allows the viewer to be engaged with a work and bring their own story to it.” —Karen Knutson

Finding What Resonates
“There’s a misconception that abstract art is wildly flinging paint in response to highly charged emotions—like a big, messy therapy session—a process involving luck or genius, or both. For me, that holds no appeal.

“I find it’s a difficult and demanding approach, one that sets aside the distractions of the ‘tightly rendered’ and ‘fully recognizable’ to allow for mystery and magic. Somewhere along that continuum is your resonance.” —Kathleen Mooney

Letting Go

“Intuitive painting requires us to be led and guided by whatever shows up on the paper or canvas in front of us; to be open to the unknown; to make what is unconscious conscious; and to trust what resides within us.” —Pat Moseuk

Learn about the inspirations and influences, and the guiding principles and processes, that have shaped and steered these artists’ adventures in abstraction in the Winter 2025 issue of Watercolor Artist.