Abstract Landscape Paintings
Beginning in the early 20th century, abstract art became a leading style of modernism. Rather than portray the world in a way that represented reality, as had been the dominating style of Western art in the previous centuries, abstract paintings, prints and sculptures are marked by a shift to geometric forms, gestural shapes and experimentation with color to express ideas, subject matter and scenes.
Although abstract art flourished in the early 1900s, propelled by movements like Fauvism and Cubism, it was rooted in the 19th century. In the 1840s, J.M.W. Turner emphasized light and motion for atmospheric paintings in which concrete details were blurred, and Paul Cézanne challenged traditional expectations of perspective in the 1890s.
Some of the earliest abstract artists — Wassily Kandinsky and Hilma af Klint — expanded on these breakthroughs while using vivid colors and forms to channel spiritual concepts. Painter Piet Mondrian, a Dutch pioneer of the art movement, explored geometric abstraction partly owing to his belief in Theosophy, which is grounded in a search for higher spiritual truths and embraces philosophers of the Renaissance period and medieval mystics. Black Square, a daringly simple 1913 work by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, was a watershed statement on creating art that was free “from the dead weight of the real world,” as he later wrote.
Surrealism in the 1920s, led by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim and others, saw painters creating abstract pieces in order to connect to the subconscious. When Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York during the mid-20th century, it similarly centered on the process of creation, in which Helen Frankenthaler’s expressive “soak-stain” technique, Jackson Pollock’s drips of paint, and Mark Rothko’s planes of color were a radical new type of abstraction.
Conceptual art, Pop art, Hard-Edge painting and many other movements offered fresh approaches to abstraction that continued into the 21st century, with major contemporary artists now exploring it, including Anish Kapoor, Mark Bradford, El Anatsui and Julie Mehretu.
Find original abstract paintings, sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
Artist Comments
Silvery autumn sunshine gleams over artist George Peeble's dreamy landscape. A reflection of the colors of autumn luster within the vast clearing of trees. Inte...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles embodies solemnity in a calm and pensive seascape. He envisions the composition reflecting on a dream by the water. Deep ocean waves rhythmically drift along the tantalizing vista. George displays the brief electric moment in nature entirely from his imagination.
About the Artist
Award-winning artist, George Peebles specializes in contemporary panoramic scenes. Breathtaking combinations of brilliant hues and gradients of rich skies map out his paintings. “My art is a reflection of the place inside each of us where we connect to nature,†says George. Based in Michigan, he draws inspiration from electric moments within his environment. Each stroke is an inward expression of his emotions as he paints from memory. George, being colorblind views his work as a lifelong process that leads him to new concepts and ideas best expressed on his canvas. When he’s out of the studio, George works as a chef at their local hospital. His work is represented in eighteen healthcare facilities.
Words that describe this painting: water, sky, clouds, dreamy, moody, dramatic, waves, water, seascape, expressionism, abstract, oilpaint, calm, tranquil, still, peaceful, expressionism, seascape, oil painting
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
Artist Comments
Artist Samuel Pretorius paints a bright sunny day at Shark Fin Cove near Santa Cruz in impressionism. A breathtaking cove stre...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
Artist Comments
Ocean waves crash in warm hues of red and yellow under a violet evening glow in this expressionist seascape by artist George Peebles. He conveys a calm and drea...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Wax, Oil, Wool, Canvas
Artist Comments
Artist Jo Galang displays a magical woodland path illuminated by the sun. "Walking through the woods is one thing I always look forward to," says Jo. She paints the sun peeking through the trees, leaving speckled patches of sunlight on the ground. It creates beautiful patterns of light and shadow that make the piece all the more captivating and exciting.
About the Artist
Artist Jo Galang expresses a quiet nostalgia in her airy interpretations of the landscapes and waterways of the Pacific Northwest. Her soft oil paintings capture the meditative sounds of rivers and waterfalls flowing past her easel. During the summer, she spends as much time as possible outside creating plein air sketches and studying the light on the landscape. As a young art student in the Philippines, Jo was privileged to study with the renowned painter Danilo Dalena, who she says encouraged her to be the artist she is today. "I believe my art looks simple enough that people have no idea how much time I have spent working on it," she says. When she is not painting, Jo and her husband enjoy taking road trips, playing cards and finding creative ways to spend time with their granddaughter.
Words that describe this painting: ferns, foliage, forest, leaves, moss, nature, plants, sunlight, summer, trees, vegetation, woods, impressionism, oilpaint, impressionism, nature, oil painting, green
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
"The dance of soft color graces the twilight sky as the sun slowly slips behind the horizon," states artist Janet Triplett. Vibran...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley paints a close up view of theshores on San Francisco Bay. She often takes drives in the area and paints en plein air right on the famously rugged beach. Lisa captures the critical moment the surfers wait for the wave to hit. She features a beautiful coastal color palette applied with palette knives for thick impasto.
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: San Francisco, ocean, beach, ,surf, surfers, surfing, California, coast, coastal, palette knife, texture, impasto, waves, shore, water, small, oilpaint, seascape, impressionism, seascape, oil painting, blue
Surfers at Ocean Beach San Francisco...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
In viridian hues, artist Vahe Yeremyan paints the towering cliffs in Sedona, Arizona. Creating a sweeping background of bright blues, Vahe highlights the majest...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist John Jaster displays a forest with tall aspens rendered in a playfully abstract style. Bold shades of yellow, orange and red suggest a warm autumn day in the woods. In his process, John creates stunning color combinations by utilizing multiple layers of heavy body acrylics and brushwork. He results with captivating scenery with intense contrasting hues and high-spirited energy.
About the Artist
Artist John Jaster paints in a style he describes as realistic impressions, capturing colorful views of his adventures across the Americas. "People always ask me how I get such deep brilliant colors," says John. "The answer is layers. Since acrylic paint dries mostly transparent, it requires multiple layers of paint to build up to a specific color. With the right lighting that depth of layering is like sunshine glistening through clear water." In college, John felt a pull towards computer science and pursued a career in software architecture. Although the two paths may seem unrelated, John says his work in software strongly influences his artwork in terms of distilling complex systems without losing the magic and wonder. Today, John works from a large home studio with a fireplace, lots of natural light, and jazz playing in the background. Since 2010, John’s paintings have been displayed in over 90 juried exhibitions and published in leading art magazines and books.
Words that describe this painting: forest, trees, birch, aspen, nature, playful, impressionism, grove, warm, impressionism, nature, acrylic painting, orange
Forest Abstractions - Chorus Line...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
Artist Comments
Artist Paula Martino displays a verdant landscape showing a forest brimming with wildflowers. The rocks and tall grasses in the foreground frame the rolling meadow beyond. Painted using only a palette knife, she depicts this end-of-summer scene primarily in textured yellows and greens with only hints of alizarin and burnt umber. This lovely prospect asks viewers to stop for a moment and immerse themselves in nature.
About the Artist
Artist Paula Martino paints impressionist scenes, especially of places with water. “They reflect the energy and emotions I feel when I see a compelling locale I visit,†says Paula. Using various tools, she applies thick layers of color with oil or acrylic paint and sometimes uses stencil work. With her palette knife technique, she unveils strands of lighter hues amidst her dominantly saturated palette, creating a semi-abstract element. Paula worked as a CPA for thirty-five years running her own tax practice while raising three children, with one having Down Syndrome. All the while pursuing art part-time in a studio her husband built for her in their basement. After retiring in 2020, she decided to pursue her art practice fully, studying in earnest with nationally recognized colorists, portrait artists, and landscape painters. “The experiences of caregiving and tax prep forced me to be very conscientious and organized with my time and efforts. I needed to be so completely organized for so long that it is a relief to be a little messy in my studio.â€
Words that describe this painting: rocks, Queen Annes lace...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A fall landscape at sunset, with golden clouds rushing across the expansive sky. "Northern New Mexico is known for mythical light, sculptural land forms and d...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
"Spring in California brings an abundance of wildflowers," says artist Kajal Zaveri. Inspired by long drives near the ocean, Kajal paints a vibrant piece captur...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
Artist Comments
Artist Jo Galang depicts a tranquil forest path illuminated by tender sunlight. She takes inspiration from her refreshing walks by the river. "Spending time in ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Sally Adams shares a dreamlike view of a trail going through an autumnal forest. She draws inspiration from a reference photo ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A magical evening on the beach unfolds in artist George Peebles' panoramic ocean vista. The alluring seascape elicits a whimsical sen...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Linen, Resin, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker displays a group of horses in an outback landscape. Light rays shine through the trees and hit the corral just right. Rain puddles on the grou...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Samuel Pretorius depicts a breathtaking view of Switzerland's famed Lake Thun. A stunning landscape comes into view fro...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Mixed Media, Wood Panel
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Clay, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
James Hartman paints a verdant landscape of vast rolling hills with two red barns on the field. He brings to life a visual image he captured as a sketch at Mt. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
An impressionistic seascape on canvas, painted en plein air with a palette knife. Ready to hang.
About the Artist
Vahe Yeremyan is an Armenian-bo...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker offers a thriving landscape with vibrant blooms spread across an expansive pasture. Thick trees stand tall on either side of the composition a...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil