Discovering Your Shapes
in Abstract Painting
—
Free Live 3-Day Artist Talk & Demo with Jenny Nelson
October 14-16, 2026. Sessions: 12:00-1:30pm ET
(Scroll down to learn more)
Shapes have personalities and stories to tell!
We all have an innate visual language that can be explored, developed and enriched. Some shapes appeal to us more than others, and some actually speak to us directly. Â Shapes can be hard edged or loosely rendered, curved or geometric. These unique forms evoke an emotional response and we know what makes our heart sing when we see it.
All shapes have a life of their own. When you find yourself repeating certain marks and lines, these are signals, that can develop into a more refined shape making language.
In this demo you will:
âś… Watch me demonstrate a shape making exercise that you can incorporate into your work right away
âś… Gain insight about creating edges, volume, and relationships
âś… Learn to use a variety of tools that instill a mindset of inquiry and flexibilityÂ
âś… Explore a simple process to begin several related forms
âś…Â Look at and create a wide variety of unique shapesÂ
Plus there will be a Q&A and recorded replays each day.
Join me and develop shapes that make your heart sing and feel authentic to your work.
Schedule
Day 1: Making Many ShapesÂ
 October 14th, 12-1:30pm EST
- Artist Discussion of the variety of shapes in Master works
- Â Shape Making Demo part-1
- Q&A
- Replay available within 24 hours
Day 2: Unique Shape Relationships
October 15th, 12-1:30pm EST
- Artist Discussion of sourcing unique shapes
- Shape making Demo part-2: Three related shapes Â
- Intro to my Exploring Abstraction program for continued learning in abstract painting
- Q&A
- Replay available within 24 hours
Day 3: Artist Panel
October 16th, 12-1:30pm EST
- Interactive discussion with a few of my students about creative challenges and visual solutions in their paintings
- Â A look behind the scenes of my Exploring Abstraction online course
- Q&A
- Replay available within 24 hours
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Is This for You?
Whether you are new to abstract painting or a seasoned artist, even if abstraction is not your primary genre, the principles we'll discuss will train your eye to recognize the nuances of shape relationships and help you to see your work in new ways!Â
Can't Make the Dates?
Register anyway and I'll send you daily replays!
About Jenny
Jenny Nelson is a painter and arts educator. Trained at Maine College of Art and Bard College — where she earned a scholarship to the Lacoste School of the Arts in France — she has spent three decades living and working in the Hudson Valley, including a residency at the prestigious Byrdcliffe Art Colony.
Her work has been shown nationally at galleries including Hidell Brooks (Charlotte, NC), Anne Loucks (Chicago), and Carrie Haddad (Hudson, NY). She has taught at celebrated arts institutions across the Northeast and beyond — from Provincetown and Nantucket to Woodstock — and has guided thousands of students in improving their abstract painting.