20 Colorful Abstract Paintings for Inspiration

Here are 20 colorful abstract paintings to inspire you, from the artists featured in our artist spotlight. To learn more about the artists and see more paintings they have created, click on the artist’s name to be taken directly to their interview.

Sarah Shaw

Sarah Shaw is an artist from Brighton, UK. Sarah’s painting is part of the Monolith series.

”My paintings tend to play with symbolism of different objects and to explore different ways of conveying a sense of 'the sublime', a sense of the epic (perhaps a sense of spirituality) and the intimate (us as tiny humans). These latest paintings emerged from a fascination with the memorial flowers that are often strapped around lampposts to remember the loved one who has met their end at that place..a daily, sometimes sombre, often surprisingly beautiful reminder of our own mortality in an everyday mundane sense.”
Teresa Young

Teresa Young is a Canadian artist, and her abstract painting is titled Something to do with Creep Staring Eyes.

“It's probably pretty close to abstract expressionism. Although I would argue that because I've kept myself isolated from art generally, I developed a unique style of my own that stands out from the crowd.
Cheryl O

Cheryl O is Canadian artist who paints with watercolor, acrylic and oils. Her featured painting is named She Sells Sea Shells.

”In one word, I would call my art "exploring". I love to try new things, new techniques, new ways of combining colour, new unusual paint effects. My goal is to delight the viewer in colour, texture, shape, movement - and so share the joy.”
Tanielle Childers

Tanielle Childers is an artist from Colorado, United States, and her featured piece here is titled Voyage.

”My style of work is stylized representational and non-representational art mingled with whimsy and imagination. The delicate, often intricate details breathe effervescence into each piece. These signature elements become the final touch of artistry.”
Shukla Chowdhury

Shukla Chowdhury is an abstract expressionist painter from India. Her painting is titled Utopia.

”My preferred style of work follows the Abstract Expressionism philosophy. I believe in the dynamism of nature, and I try to capture this quality in my paintings. There is no brush-work in my paintings; all my work is done using various tools like knives, spatulas, cloth, sponge etc, and I consciously avoid the use of a brush, because I feel more connected with the creation when I'm in direct contact with the paints and surface I'm painting.”
Jacky Murtaugh

Jacky Murtaugh’s abstract paintings all very colorful with lots of movement. Her featured artwork is called Velocity.

”It’s difficult to put a label on one’s own style, especially as mine has changed so much over the years. In my earlier days I was a slave to realism but as I grow as an artist I have left those shackles behind and now have a much looser style more a kin to the impressionists. I like to let things happen by accident and strive to make the marks look unintentional, not deliberate, natural as in nature. I am fascinated with light and its effects so this style adds something to the subject matter.”
Reina Cottier

Auckland, New Zealand artist Reina Cottier, creates vibrant art filled with flowing forms and colour. Her piece is named Surf Sun Sky.

”It's difficult to pinpoint my style in one word, and even then its a mix of many things... Mostly abstract, using flowing shapes and vibrant colour to express what I am feeling.”
Caroline Swaine-Donohoe

Featured here is a painting by Irish artist Caroline Swaine-Donohoe titled Skylight.
Rob Heath

Rob Heath is an abstract expressionist painter from Loire, France. His abstract artwork is titled Liquidity.
Monika Mori (Moo)

Monika Mori is an abstract expressionist painter from Austria. This painting is part of her Roses for Cy series.
Virginia Erdie

”My interest and studies of the String Theory, Fractal Theory, Hologram Theory and other philosophies of reality and the Universe inspire me to do abstract art.”
Scott Hile

Scott Hile is an abstract artist, photographer and designer from Arizona, USA. His painting here is titled Flower 1.
Samar Asamoah - Yezarck Art

Samar Asamoah is an abstract artist from United Kingdom.
Laura Miller

Laura’s abstract painting is titled Lace Doilies.
Kimberlee Rocca

Kimberlee Rocca is a foil imaging artist from the USA. Her abstract artwork is titled Sunset Field.
Dan Cope

Abstract painting by Maryville, Tennessee, USA artist Dan Cope.

”I do abstracts, mainly in acrylic, don't use brushes, just bits of paper, rubber bands, feathers or anything else that strikes my fancy. I like to work flat and wet, allowing the paint to seek it's own course. I call my theme,"edge". I try to get it between abstract and concrete.”
Nancy Jo Corderman

Nancy paints digital abstracts using Painter software. Featured is January’s End Two.
Sara Morison

Sara Morison is a Canadian abstract painter, and her painting shown is titled Glimpsing the Water’s Edge.

”I love the intrigue and mystery of abstract art... the conversation between the viewer and what they see, how it makes them feel. I love the versatility of acrylics, from transparency to thick opaque washes and how mark making with watercolor pencils, graphite, inks can mingle and interact with the paints. I usually limit my palette and see where that takes me, having no preconceived notion of the endpoint. The process unfolding, reacting, inviting, playing create a slice of life.”
Fiona de Lacy

Fiona de Lacy is an Irish artist and her abstract painting is titled The Spectrum.
Shana Stern

Shana Stern is an abstract artist Austin, Texas. USA who paints with fluid acrylic.

”I paint each piece to one song -- so hopefully, the emotion of the song comes through in the movements and colors on the canvas. Beauty and emotion. That's my motto. And everyone who sees my work sees it completely differently. Four people will see one piece and each will think it should hang in a different direction. One will see a person in an outline of black. While another sees a dragon's face. And I like that.”