Abstract art is generally defined as art that is non-representational of what is considered natural. Abstract artists use colors and shapes non-objectively to explore visual emotions and feelings. This type of art is the opposite of imitating what is in front of the eyes. Instead of painting an object or model exactly how it appears, an abstract artist paints his or her interpretation of the feelings the model or object provokes. Abstract works can also come straight from the imagination of the artist.

Some believe that the abstract form should reveal the spiritual energies of the visual world. The words "abstract expressionism" first appeared in 1936 in a March New Yorker magazine article by Robert Coates. However, the term is more often used to describe the artistic movement of the 1950s. Artists from this movement strived to produce art that was unconventional, individualistic and spontaneous. These artists all shared a firm belief in the importance of freedom of expression without conventional limitations or rules.

Some common characteristics of the abstract artistic styles include vast canvases, attention to surface qualities, and the actual art of brushstrokes and texture playfulness. Abstract expressionists believe that all the parts of the canvas play an important role in the work as an entirety. The actual act of painting is glorified as part of the visual connection and communication. Most important, the abstract artist attempts to cover the canvas with pure emotion.

Influential Abstract Painters
The works of Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky played a major role leading into the beginning of the abstract movement. Later influential artists of this genre include Arshile Gorky, Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning and Hans Hofmann. Some modern abstract artists you can find in the Cover Your Walls online gallery include Castells, Mateo, Gaudin, Thompson, Altschuler and Carter and Wright.