Where do I start in abstract art?

Jenny Nelson, Abstract Artist Extraordinaire and my Guru

When I am confronting a new exercise, medium, starting a painting, and even sketching, I feel nervous. There is such a lack of confidence. Is any of my work good? What is good work? How do I get mine there?

Recently, I found an artist by the name of Jenny Nelson. I saw her work on Instagram, searched her on Youtube and found that she offered classes. I am currently taking one called Exploring Abstraction, which anyone considering abstract art should take. It is well worth the money.

Her teaching style is thorough. She answers questions you didn't know you had. She puts words to thoughts you've had which helps to concretize your thinking and process. She responds to every post in her Facebook group. I've never been one for those, but hers is worth it because of the feedback.

I felt nervous about our first exercise because I have never studied composition and felt like I would never be able to make a good one. Her composition exercise was so effective that failure was not an option. Students were taught how to make something that wasn't exciting, exciting. I ended up repeating the exercise a number of times because it was so much fun and so successful each time. I learned enough about composition in that one exercise, that I feel grounded in it. I don't fret considering composition for a new work and I know how to improve it when it's not so good. All that from only the first exercise.

This week is the second exercise. I will report on it next post.

Check out Jenny Nelson here. She offers a FREE 3 day class as a sample of her teaching style, prior students' works, and what you can gain from the Exploring Abstraction course.