Unusual Abstract Art - Paintings that Surprise, Puzzle and Challenge
expressive abstract art with a difference to stir your emotions
People often describe my paintings as unusual. I take that as a compliment. The unexpected regularly appears as I work towards capturing an emotion - that certain feeling and I welcome that. Here is a selection of some of my particularly strange and puzzling pieces and some information on why I painted them.
Unpainted figures
It's uncommon to paint the background but not the figure. When I saw it needed nothing more I stopped painting and did the second one.
Such a challenge and an odd feeling to not paint the figure. Yet the painting felt complete.
Abstracted figures in hats
I have painted many abstract figures and I became interested in how hats can emphasize body language and create movement. The two unusual paintings below emerged.
Exhilarating feeling in these colourful watercolours.
Surrealism for the strange and puzzling painting
I make surreal paintings to capture emotions and in so doing I create some quirky pieces that I find odd. I think surrealism embraces strangeness and the unexpected making it a great way for me to explore emotions in art.
Paintings about pollution became a theme
Concern for our environment led me to create some of my most unusual paintings, here are two examples. Explore my complete collection of environmental paintings
An unusual abstract painting bringing attention to the damage to our environment - Destruction.
My series on conflict and war made some unusual art
I have about twenty paintings in my war series and they are all unusual abstractions of the horrors of war - perhaps these two stand out. See the whole series of contemporary war paintings
Unusual paintings of war but the meaning is clear.
Aviation is a passion that has led me to paint the unexpected.
As an ex-pilot it's not a surprise I paint my experiences as a pilot. However, the abstraction led to some puzzling paintings. View my full collection of abstract aviation art.
Complete abstraction is unusual in aviation paintings where realism is often the goal.
My unusual paintings are not created for the sake of being different. They emerge when I follow an idea, emotion, or question wherever it leads. These paintings surprised me as much as anyone and remain some of the most memorable pieces I have created.
Several pieces have been exhibited with The Royal Watercolour Society, The American Watercolor Society and The Crypt Gallery in London.